


Episode 3-10 - "A Matter of Survival"

by stgjr



Series: Undiscovered Frontier Season 3 - "The Coming Storm" [10]
Category: Mass Effect Trilogy, Original Work
Genre: Crossover, Gen, Multiple Crossovers, Multiverse, Space Opera
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-29
Updated: 2018-07-02
Packaged: 2019-05-30 08:28:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 45,686
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15093008
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stgjr/pseuds/stgjr
Summary: The Aurora crew tracks Saren's activities to the planet Noveria and an experiment gone hideously wrong; the Normandy heads to Virmire in the hunt for Saren's base.





	1. Chapter 1

**Teaser**  
  
_Ship's Log: ASV Aurora; 8 July 2643. Captain Julia Andreys recording. At the request of Admiral Hackett, the_ Aurora _is tracking the civilian space vessel_ Ontario _, now present in the Farinata System in the Hades Gamma cluster. According to Admiral Hackett a member of the Systems Alliance Parliament has been abducted by biotic terrorists and the_ Ontario _is the ship they're fleeing aboard. Lieutenant Lucero is leading a team of Marines to investigate while we remain at a safe distance._  
  
  
With the _Ontario_ having an anti-beaming field up, the approach was made via stealth runabout. The team entered the ship through the port side lock. Lucy, as custom, took the lead. She had her lightsaber in hand but not active. Behind her, Talara was armed with a pulse pistol set to stun. The squad of light-armored Marines, under Sergeant Coleman, had their weapons set to a similar setting.  
  
"I sense them," Talara whispered, her voice clear over the tactical comm link. Her eyes, blue with lavender-colored irises, were focused ahead. She was more intent on what she was feeling than the digital readouts of her helmet HUD. "They're frightened and angry. And in a lot of pain."  
  
"They would be. Jarod did some research. The man they took sits on a committee for biotics and voted down reparations for bad implants." Even though she could send mental messages, she knew the Marines would prefer hand gestures, and she'd worked with them enough that she knew several of them. She signaled them to follow behind her, fire to stun.  
  
They made it into the cargo hold and the fight began. Only a few of the biotics were armed, with mass effect field pistols, and Lucy found their shots easy enough to deal with. It was their biotic abilities that was the real threat, but Lucy had her own special abilities. She used the life-based force inside of her - _swevyra_ as the Gersallians called it - to deal with the bolts of dark matter the biotics used on them. While she worked on defense, Talara and the Marines opened fire. The Marines' shots were made with what would have been lethal precision in a military conflict. One by one the biotics in the cargo hold went down to stun fire.  
  
"We're secure," Lucy said to them. "Sergeant, detail two to secure prisoners. There's a few more up ahead."  
  
"Roger, ma'am," answered Coleman. "Whitfield, Umitam, you're on! Secure prisoners and standby!"  
  
With Coleman and the remaining Marine behind her and Talara, Lucy advanced to the forward section. Ahead was the control cockpit and to each side, living space. She sensed the fear in one room and entered.  
  
"Don't come any closer!" a male voice cried. Two men and a woman, all armed, were standing opposite from them. On his knees was another man, in a nice set of clothes that had seen better days. He was on his knees, hands on his neck, and had a shotgun jammed to the back of his head. "I'll kill him!"  
  
Talara watched with anticipation at how Lucy would handle this. They'd been training for a few weeks now, with control exercises giving way to actual training in these powers. While some of the exercises were uncomfortable - Talara disliked having to stand on her hand and hold things - she'd still learned many valuable lessons at Lucy's direction, with Commander Meridina occasionally observing. Now she wondered which of those skills Lucy would use to stop these people. Would she yank the guns from their hands? Use mental trickery to get them to stand down? Slice the gunhands off their arms to disable them?  
  
To her surprise, Lucy did none of those things. Instead, she simply turned off her lightsaber and knelt on the floor. "Sergeant, fall back with your team. Await further orders."  
  
"Ma'am?"  
  
"That is a direct order, Sergeant," Lucy said, insistent. "Fall back."  
  
With confirmation of the order, Coleman did so. Talara sensed a tinge of relief in him. He didn't like hostage situations.  
  
"Ensign, holster your weapon and join me," Lucy said next, ignoring the pistols raised toward them.  
  
Talara, who was not quite so flippant about ignoring the weapons, hesitated a second before doing so. With her field action uniform and helmet, she might survive…  
  
Lucy promptly reached to her neck and detached the helmet from her combat armor. She set the helmet to the side, allowing her curly dark hair to descend to her shoulders. She had visible Latin American heritage, with a lighter brown complexion and the shape of her face indicating the _mestizo_ background she inherited from her mother. Bright blue eyes focused on both hostage and hostage-taker.  
  
Without waiting, and yet with a great deal of worry, Talara removed her helmet as well. She felt the surprise as the Human biotics took in her alien features, such as her pointed ears, the blue half-moon marks on her cheeks under her eyes, and the lavender color of her eyes' irises. Silver-blue hair held into a small bun at the back of her neck gave her a further exotic appearance. By complexion she looked the most Human, having a bronze coloration just a shade or so darker than Lucy's.  
  
"I'm Lieutenant Lucy Lucero of the Alliance _Starship Aurora_ ," said Lucy. "And I'm trained in the arts of the Gersallian Order of Swenya. This is Ensign Talara, a Falaen officer from my ship and my current apprentice in those arts. Who are you?"  
  
"Our names aren't important!" snarled the leader, his gun still held to Burns' head. The bald man, with a formerly-trimmed beard of dark hair that now reflected a lack of care, was full of frustration and rage. "What's important is how the Alliance, our Alliance, has ignored us! This son of a bitch doesn't care how much we suffer, he just cares about pleasing the people who pay for his political career!"  
  
"Please, you don't have to do this!" the hostage wailed. "I've changed my mind!"  
  
"Now that I've got a gun to your head. Isn't that how it always works?! Letters don't do crap, you have to use force!" Next he glared at Lucy and Talara. "And you… you people! Do you even know what's going on here?! Who this bastard is?!"  
  
"Martin Burns," Lucy said. "Chairman of the Systems Alliance Parliamentary Committee on Transhuman Studies."  
  
"We're L2 biotics," the woman said. "The implants they gave us to control our biotics were faulty."  
  
"More than faulty," the leader spat. "Some L2s are nearly crippled from what these implants have done to us! Those reparations were the only hope of many of us to have the damage treated! And Chairman Burns here denied them!"  
  
"It… I'm sorry, all of the reports made it seem like the problem was overstated!" protested Burns. "But it's clear to me now that they were wrong, I was wrong! I never realized how desperate you were becoming! I'll change my vote, I'll see about getting reparations for the L2 biotics!"  
  
"It's too late for that!" the leader insisted. "Like we can trust you anyway."  
  
"You can," Lucy remarked. "I can feel the sincerity in him." Her eyes locked on the leader's. "Just as I feel the pain in you. Even now… you're in constant pain. Maybe… maybe we can do something about that."  
  
"No, it's too late for that," the leader insisted. "A message has to be sent."  
  
"And do you think murdering Chairman Burns will send the right message?" Lucy asked. "Death rarely solves problems so easily. His replacement will be just as likely to stand against what you need simply to avoid being accused of submitting to terrorism. If you want to get any victory out of this, Burns needs to live."  
  
"And you expect us to believe you'll just give us what we want and let us walk free? Do we look that stupid?"  
  
"No. You look like a man in constant pain who needs compassion," Lucy replied. "I know what it's like to be hurt."  
  
"Don't you dare try to compare yourself to us! You don't know what it's like, what this does to us!" the leader shouted. "This is the kind of thing we're reduced to! We're struggling to survive…"  
  
"Yes." Lucy didn't raise her voice. "You are. And it's so easy to convince yourself to do something terrible if it's in the name of surviving. But I'm telling you it's not necessary. You and all of the other biotics can get the treatment you need. You might be in jail, but you won't be in pain anymore. You'll have justice. But only if Burns lives. Without his voice to help you, you won't accomplish anything. You and those you're trying to save will keep suffering."  
  
Talara observed quietly. She sensed the uncertainty in the biotics. The fear. The same was in Burns, joined with a genuine realization of error. He sympathized with these people, felt as if he had let them down. And like them, he did not want to die.  
  
In Lucy, Talara felt… certainty. Resolve. Even with guns pointed at her and no weapon in her hand, she acted as if she was in complete control of the situation and knew it would turn out alright.  
  
Slowly, the leader lowered his shotgun from Burns' head. "Alright," he said. "I… I don't want to die. I just want justice. I want the pain to end."  
  
Lucy nodded. "Chairman?" She stood to her feet and Talara did likewise. "Please step over here. Ensign, secure their weapons."  
  
They did as requested. "I assure you, Lieutenant, that I will follow through on this," Burns said to her.  
  
"It's not me you owe that assurance to, Chairman," Lucy pointed out. "That said, I sense your sincerity, and I wish you the best in putting this right." Lucy brought her left arm up. An omnitool formed around her forearm. She tapped a key on it. "Lucero to _Aurora_. Everything is secure. We're ready for pickup."  
  
A moment later Jarod answered, " _Confirmed. ETA is twenty seconds._ "  
  
Upon the _Aurora_ 's arrival, the biotics and Burns were beamed away first, for treatment and, in the case of the former, for confinement until a Systems Alliance vessel could arrive to secure them. This left Lucy and Talara alone. Talara looked to her. "Lucy, you said to ask questions."  
  
"I did. What's on your mind?"  
  
"This situation," Talara said. "It would have been over in seconds if you'd acted. You could have disarmed them and I would have easily stunned them. Without any threat to Chairman Burns. But you didn't."  
  
Lucy smiled and nodded. "You're right. There were several ways I could have stopped them, even without using my lightsaber. If I'd needed to, I would have. But fighting isn't our purpose. Saving lives and bettering them is. That's why I had to let the biotics' leader surrender peacefully."  
  
"So that they may be shown leniency?"  
  
"Among other things. Had I simply overwhelmed them, it would have left them bitter and angry at being denied again. Even if it was justified. But they made the choice themselves, without being under immediate duress. They chose to spare Burns and accept his promise. He'll deliver on that and the lives of these biotics will be improved. That strengthens the Flow of Life."  
  
"And that is our goal," Talara said. "I see." She nodded. "Yes. And not looking for a fight… I think that is wise. That has been the way of my people for millennia."  
  
"Fighting is only a last resort. It's sad we have to fall back on it as often as we do." Lucy reached for her omnitool. "And it's about time we got out of here. Lucero to _Aurora_ , two to beam up."  
  
  
  
  
Hours later, the Systems Alliance cruiser _Seoul_ jumped to FTL velocity and departed the Farinata system. Julia watched them go on the holo-viewscreen. Meridina and Leo were sitting beside her, the latter waiting to discuss the matter with her. She left Jarod in charge of the bridge when she led the two into her office. "Now that this situation is handled," she said, "we can get back to our primary mission."  
  
"Handled is not the best way to put it." Leo crossed his arms and a scowl appeared on his face. "I looked at the scans on those biotics. Whoever approved those implants for use should be in jail, if you ask me."  
  
"I understand the sentiment," Julia replied. While she and Meridina had command burgundy as the secondary color of their black-toned uniforms, Leo's had medical blue, with an open white lab coat bearing his name. "But it's out of our hands. We have a more important matter to worry about."  
  
Meridina nodded. "Saren."  
  
"Still no new news on him?"  
  
"None," she replied. "Despite the efforts of many specialists in the Citadel races and the Alliance, Saren's location remains unconfirmed."  
  
"It's been a month since he was on Feros," Leo said. "He's got to be somewhere."  
  
"Unfortunately, there are dozens of clusters he could be in within the Traverse," Julia noted. "Hundreds, thousands, of star systems within reach of a Mass Relay. Even more if he's acquired ships with warp or hyperspace capability. And we still don't know what his personal ship is capable of. Meridina, do we have any more information on this ' _Sovereign_ ' vessel?"  
  
"Regrettably little. Although by accessing Commander Shepard's reports and body armor footage from Eden Prime, as well as other recordings, we do have a likely suspect for the vessel." Meridina used her omnitool to display an image under a blood-red sky. It was a tall ship landed to New Eden's surface, looking very much like a sea creature from some sailor's fable, but made of metal with red highlight coloring. "Survivor reports claim that the vessel made a 'scream' sound into their minds."  
  
"Which would confirm Shiala's claim that the ship is using some sort of mental effect for keeping the loyalty of Saren's followers," Julia noted. "Leo, any luck on that?"  
  
"Little. Jarod and I have been going over all sorts of records on machines that can alter neurological states. Nothing like what Shiala describes has been encountered. We've been analyzing possible countermeasures, and we think that emissions-shielding could contain anything dangerous. But we won't know for certain without material to test."  
  
"So nothing definitive until we find _Sovereign_ itself." Julia nodded. "Well, continue what you're…"  
  
A chime filled the room. " _Jarod to Andreys. Admiral Maran is on IU radio for you._ "  
  
"Alright." Julia went to her desk and activated her personal system there. She sat in time for Admiral Maran to appear on her screen. The bearded Gersallian man had short-cut dark hair that was just starting to gray at the temples. A decorated war hero of the Gersallian Interdependency several times over, he now served as Chairman of President Morgan's Defense Staff, and was the primary conduit through which President Morgan could personally direct the _Aurora_ 's missions. His position also made Maran the senior military strategist for the Alliance's war with the Nazi German Reich of Universe S4W8, a war nearly two years old now, and victory just within grasp of the Alliance and their ever-growing circle of allies. "Admiral."  
  
" _Captain, your rescue of Chairman Burns has provided us an unexpected boon_ ," said Maran.  
  
"Oh?"  
  
" _Due to his position, he has influence with a number of companies that manufacture biotic amps. Most of them have facilities on Noveria and influence with the Noveria Development Corporation, the company that oversees the planet. Admiral Hackett informed him of our interest in Saren and Benezia's activities on Noveria through Binary Helix, and the Chairman followed through. I just received a call from one of the board members for the Noveria corporation. The board has approved our request for the_ Aurora _to investigate Binary Helix._ "  
  
"That is excellent news. We'll get underway immediately," said Julia.  
  
" _Expect a hostile response when you arrive. The Noverian board only barely approved your permission. Normally they only allow limited involvement by the Citadel Council by acknowledging authority from Spectres. Before you ask, we originally intended to let Commander Shepard handle Noveria, but the Citadel Council has something else in mind for the Commander that I'm not at liberty to discuss. So you'll be the one handling the Noveria situation. Expect that the local security forces may further impede your efforts. I'm told they don't like government and military officials meddling on their world. Further diplomatic efforts may end up being necessary. Do as you deem fit to acquire access to the Binary Helix facility on Noveria. We need to know what Saren and Matriarch Benezia are up to._ "  
  
"We'll get it done, Admiral, that I assure you. Has the fleet moved into Armstrong Nebula?" she asked. Given the two weeks the _Aurora_ , _Normandy_ , and _Koenig_ had spent clearing Geth outposts and detecting more in that cluster, she wanted to know how the fleet was responding.  
  
" _Seventh Fleet sent a task force three days ago. So far they haven't seen any further sign of the Geth. It looks like you scared them out._ "  
  
"That is good news at least."  
  
" _It is. Whatever Saren was planning, you may have pre-empted him._ " Maran reached toward something off-screen. " _I'll keep you up to date on any further developments. I look forward to your success at Noveria, Captain. Maran out._ "  
  
The moment he disappeared from her screen, replaced by the seal of the Alliance's Presidency with its prominent torch insignia and the Alliance flag of blue, green, and white, with the torch insignia set over the middle. Julia was familiar with it and paid it no further thought, triggering the ship's comm system instead. "Andreys to Bridge. Take us to the Relay, our destination is Noveria."  
  
" _Aye sir_ ," was Jarod's reply.  
  
Moments later, the _Aurora_ was hurtling away from Farinata faster than the speed of light, due for the next stage in the hunt for Saren Arterius.  
  


**Undiscovered Frontier  
 _"A Matter of Survival"_**

  
  
  
  
The _Aurora_ was on its way to the last relay that would take them to the Pax system, where Noveria was located. Aboard the ship, the two thousand plus crew and their civilian specialists and support staff went about their day as if it were any other.  
  
With two thousand people aboard, the _Aurora_ was a small town in its own right, and like any such community it needed the facilities and means to support them. Not just with sustenance or medical care, but with activities. The ship's middle decks, where the primary and drive hulls started to meet, often had such facilities interspersed with mission-specific ones or living quarters for enlisted and lower ranked officers. A large gymnasium, holodecks, the medbay that dominated Deck 12's aft-facing section, and multi-purpose rooms used for anything from staff lunches to movie showings to the occasional poetry slam (or _greep thep_ , as the Alakin crew referred to such, given Alakin cultural mores).  
  
One of these rooms was currently occupied by only two people, one sitting in the audience area and the other on a raised stage. With an intent look, Lieutenant Tra'dur continued to blow away at the bagpipes she held in her arms. She manipulated the complicated instrument with care, changing the tone wailing from the set of bagpipes into a tune known in many universes as " _Flower of Scotland_ ".  
  
When she finished, Tra'dur allowed the blowpipe to fall away from her lips. The Dilgar woman let out a free breath. Her feline face formed into a grin at the applause.  
  
"Aye lass, well done!" proclaimed her teacher. Commander Montgomery Scott was an old man surrounded by youth, but none denied that the old Starfleet engineer had his place as Chief Engineer on the _Aurora_. Youth, no matter how talented or skilled, could always use experience, and Commander Scott was free with the experience of his decades in Starfleet.  
  
Tra'dur once spent several days reading up on Scott's home universe of S5T3 and the many successful missions and first contacts of the _Starship Enterprise_ , the _Enterprise_ of James T. Kirk and Spock and Leonard McCoy. It gave her a deeper appreciation that a man of such accomplishment would give his time to help her complete her mastery of the bagpipes. Just as importantly, he expanded her knowledge of the history behind them and the various songs that best suited the instrument.  
  
"It brings a tear t' my eye t' hear th' auld tune played so well," Scott said to her.  
  
"Thank you, sir," she said. "I had thought my use of the instrument was already excellent, but you've shown me how to master the pipes in ways I'd never considered. And these new bagpipes work so well for me."  
  
"That they should." He stood up and picked up his own set. "Now, ye're doin' well with _Flower_ and the _Black Bear_ , but I'd like t' see how ye do workin' with another piper. Ye've been practicin' with th' _Blue Bonnets_ , have ye?"  
  
"Yes, Mister Scott," Tra'dur assured him.  
  
"Aye, good. Then we'll start there, then work with _Amazing Grace_. That's always a good one, an it's expected for th' services when we lose comrades."  
  
"I will show all due respect."  
  
"I dinnae doubt that, lass, not at all." Scott smiled widely. "Ye're quite th' piper, an' ye're only gettin' better. Now, let's start this right..."  
  
She followed his motions and the two, without further word, began to play their instruments, filling the room with the wail of the bagpipes.  
  
  
  
  
The _Aurora_ contained three science labs - one for computer and data sciences, one devoted to physics, and one for biological science - and the official master of all three was Lieutenant Commander Caterina Delgado, the ship's science officer, and newly promoted. Given her specialties, the second lab was her usual haunt, where she ran all sorts of simulations and analysis programs for astronomical phenomena.  
  
But for the moment she was in Science Lab 1 with her friend, Lieutenant Commander Jarod, the _Aurora_ 's Operations Officer. Both were done with their bridge watch for the day, so they were taking the time to analyze data on the Geth, including cores taken by the _Normandy_ and its crew in their operations. Digits of Geth code filled the holo-viewscreens at their workstations.  
  
Jarod looked up from his workstation. "It's getting late," he said. "Won't Violeta being waiting for you?"  
  
Caterina shook her head. "No. She's on watch right now with Nick. It's part of her training now that she's going to be a command staff officer."  
  
"Right. Does she know her posting yet?"  
  
"One of the new _Enterprise_ -class ships."  
  
"Right." Jarod nodded. "So you two, I mean, will you be trying to keep the relationship going or…?"  
  
Cat knew Jarod was just trying to be friendly, but it didn't change the fact that it hurt. Violeta - Vee - was going to be out of her life. Possibly for good. It was strange, as she never thought of the relationship as being permanent, but yet now that it was going to likely end…  
  
When Jarod turned to face her Cat sighed and shrugged. "We're still talking about it," Cat said. "I think we're going to go for something open."  
  
"As in?"  
  
"As in, if one of us finds someone new, we tell the other and there's no hard feelings." Cat couldn't quite keep the bitterness out of her voice.  
  
Jarod looked her over for a moment. "You shouldn't blame yourself," he said.  
  
She turned her head to face him. "I could have been a better girlfriend."  
  
"That wouldn't have changed things. Violeta has ambitions. Things she wants to do in her life."  
  
"Things more important than me."  
  
Jarod sat back in his chair. "And that hurts."  
  
"Yeah." Cat's expression shifted, her frown growing. "But maybe I deserve it. I'd… I'd love to travel with the Doctor again. And I dragged her to Vulcan when I could have taken that trip to Sirius she wanted. I can't blame her, can I? When I do it myself?"  
  
"No, but it won't stop it from hurting." When he was answered by silence Jarod returned his focus to his work. "The Geth encryption is unlike anything I've ever seen."  
  
"That makes sense. They're living programs with a unique neural link architecture."  
  
"One you jammed back on Therum," Jarod said. "I keep looking at this and wondering if there's a way to do more than just jam lone remote connections in their network. What if we could do more?"  
  
"Then, given the data, they'd lose the intelligence that makes them capable of being a threat." Cat shook her head. "I doubt we can effectively break the links of programs in an individual platform. But maybe the links between platforms could be jammed over a wide area."  
  
"If we can make that work, it could protect whole colonies," Jarod observed. "But I doubt we'll finish that this evening."  
  
"Probably not," Cat conceded.  
  
"Since Violeta's on duty, you could always see if your sister is around. I get the feeling you want someone to talk to."  
  
"Tonight she's focusing on training with Julia."  
  
"Well, in that case… want to see what Hargert is spoiling us with this evening?"  
  
Caterina considered telling him no. That she just wanted to be alone. But the truth was she didn't, and she knew it. And saying no to Jarod was hard: while he looked to be in his late thirties, he sounded and acted much younger. Right now he looked more like a younger cousin than the older relative he often managed to seem like.  
  
"Sure," she said. With a few key taps she secured her workstation. She stood up. "Maybe he's made some new chocolate fudge squares that will make me feel better."  
  
Jarod grinned in reply. "Lead the way." Cat did so, and he followed, quietly tapping away at his omnitool as he did to ensure Hargert had such a dessert ready for Cat when they arrived.  
  
  
  
  
In the _Aurora_ gymnasium, a familiar sight was again taking place. Julia and Lieutenant Angel Delgado, the ship's tactical officer, were having a sparring match in the ring. A handful of officers and crew watched the two exchange punches and kicks. Their choice of exercise wear - the service-issued sports bra and shorts in their respective branch colors - revealed the contrast in their builds, with Julia's lean athletic muscle giving her an apparent disadvantage to the thicker, developed fighting muscle Angel trained hard to keep. To many she looked like she was a Marine instead of a starship officer.  
  
The fight itself was going as most did between the two. Angel was on offense, Julia on defense, both employing mixed styles. Julia's fusion of _t'ai chi_ and Klingon _mok'bara_ were vital to her ability to stay in the fight, evading the more powerful strikes from her stronger adversary until she could get in her own attacks. In some fights this even gave her the win, letting her seize advantage of Angel going off-balance to bring her down and get the leverage she needed.  
  
But not today. Today Angel was a little quicker, or Julia a little slower, and she took a punch to the faceguard that stunned Julia long enough for Angel to land a follow-up kick that sent Julia onto her back. Angel dropped down to pin Julia's arms with her knees and hold her in place. After a couple of attempts to escape this, Julia tapped the mat. Angel let her go and helped her stand up. The winner pulled one of her gloves off and removed her teethguard from her mouth. "That's two out of three," she said, and her competitive side ensured there was a feral grin on her face.  
  
Julia removed her own guard and then gently touched the point where Angel's foot had connected with her midsection. "You enjoy beating up on me too much."  
  
"Hey, it's not like you don't get licks in," Angel reminded her. "You won one today, and you won the set yesterday."  
  
"I'm starting to wonder if you let me win." The two slipped through the ropes and picked up water bottles nearby. A couple crew were already moving to take the ring themselves. "I don't have as much time to train anymore as it is."  
  
"You still hold your own. And I don't hold back. Well, save a punch or two. But it looks bad if I send the Captain to medbay." Angel took a swig from the bottle.  
  
Julia chuckled. "Leo tells me I should start wearing a full combat suit when we spar."  
  
"Those take all the fun out of it."  
  
"I'm starting to wonder if this is your way of getting back at me for Cat getting promoted first," Julia added, her jovial look making the intended humor clear.  
  
"Cat getting promoted, no. Cat getting her brain smacked against her skull by a bloodraging Krogan? Maybe." Angel's grin turned sly. "Yeah, you could consider it incentive to keep my sister out of the field."  
  
Julia knew that was as much a joke as her remark, but given Angel's protectiveness of her younger geeky sister, she couldn't help but think there was an element of seriousness in it. "I'll keep that in mind."  
  
The two walked into the female-side locker room. After setting their things to the side they entered adjoining shower stalls. Replicated water from a common reservoir for the gym showers poured onto sweat-slicked skin, a comfort aided by the effect the warm, borderline hot water had on muscles burning from exertion. "Did they ever find out which side that Andorian was supposed to be on?" Angel asked, raising her voice appropriately to be heard over the showers.  
  
"Male. Ensign Thavarash is a _thaan_. Actually, he's supposed to be called _th'_ Thavarash, according to Jarod."  
  
"Right. Four genders. At least the Gl'mulli have none and the Asari just one." After a moment's quiet, Angel added, "What about that Asari doctor? Has she given us any more useful info on her mom?"  
  
"The investigators say yes. And Leo says she's fully recovered. I'm going to send her with the team we take down to Noveria."  
  
"Somehow I doubt it'll be that easy. Corporate types get antsy when uniforms come round."  
  
"Tell me about it. And I'll have to be the diplomat again."  
  
"I bet you miss having Robert around to do that crap."  
  
To that Julia laughed. "Even when he was Captain, I was still doing diplomatic stuff. Not that I don't miss him."  
  
"Don't we all? But given what the _Normandy_ is supposed to be like on the inside, I'm sure he misses us too."  
  
"Yeah, he probably does." As she said that, Julia allowed her mind to wonder, an easy feat while enjoying the warm water of the shower. She wondered if Robert was missing the _Aurora_ 's amenities yet and sighed wistfully at wondering what he was up to.  
  
  
  
  
The _SSV Normandy_ was a small ship by most standards of the Multiverse. In the Systems Alliance she was labeled as a frigate, first of her class, with a crew near that of an attack ship in the Allied Systems. Due to her operational needs and the equipment required, the _Normandy_ had little in the way of living space for her crew, and even less space for recreational activity.  
  
Not that Robert Dale was doing anything he would think of as recreational.  
  
For one thing, recreational activities rarely involved being repeatedly stung by an energy pulse.  
  
Another one struck him an instant before he could move the emerald blade of the lightsaber Lucy constructed for him into place to block it. He let out a little "Ow" and cursed under his breath. His senses warned him another shot was coming. This one he stopped, sending the bolt off to harmlessly dissipate against the wall of the _Normandy_ 's lab, set behind the ship's infirmary.  
  
The shots were coming from a training device Lucy assembled for him to go with the weapon. The semi-orb was kept aloft by the anti-grav generator Lucy built into it, along with a dumb-VI program that randomly fired low-energy pulse bolts at him. The sparks of blue light weren't capable of doing more than briefly setting off pain receptors at an impact point, a "sting", but getting stung over and over was starting to irritate.  
  
It wasn't like he was weak in these powers anymore. Like Lucy, Robert had trained with Meridina, but for nearly a year it had been evident he wouldn't be as powerful as either of them, and would likely never powerful enough to wield a blade.  
  
Then Robert briefly wielded the Time Vortex, courtesy of the TARDIS ship belonging to the Time Lord being known as the Doctor, to save his ship and friends. That it hadn't killed him in the process was a small miracle. What it had done was cost him two months of his life, give him memories of a beloved son he never had, and leave him with an unprecedented growth in his connection to the Flow of Life. The energy within him became so powerful he was knocking things, and people, over with no conscious effort. Only after weeks of training did he get such simple control back, control that sometimes slipped whenever he wielded the life energy and connected to the Flow of Life.  
  
Unfortunately, it seemed his experience hadn't expanded his ability to wield a blade.  
  
Another pulse went off, blocked, another, also blocked… and then another that sent a jolt of surprise and brief pain up his hip. "You damn bucket of bolts," Robert growled. When it fired at him again he deflected the shot right back into it.  
  
" _Deflection hit successful_ ," said a computerized version of Lucy's voice. " _Session over. Increase in successful deflections: one. Success rate: sixty-five percent Conclusion: You're getting better at this, Robert. Just remember anything less than one hundred percent means you got shot._ " The last part had the voice's monotone replaced by the all-too-familiar bemusement that Lucy could summon. With its report given, the orb lowered itself to the ground and shut off.  
  
Robert took the device and stowed it beside his meditation pad. He felt agitated enough to think that might be in order, but the door slid open before he reached for it. Chakwas entered. "I'm sorry, Captain Dale, but I have need of my equipment."  
  
"Of course, Doctor," he answered. "Anything serious?"  
  
"Not too serious."  
  
"Of course. I'm done as it is, so I'll leave this to you," Robert replied. "Thank you again for letting me use this space."  
  
"You're welcome."  
  
Robert left Chakwas and entered the medical area. Tali was waiting on one of the beds. "Oh, hello," she said, her voice distorted slightly from the electronic vocoder built into her suit's face, just below the faceplate. It lit up in time with her speech. "I hope we didn't interrupt anything."  
  
"Not at all, I was just finishing." Robert looked down. He was wearing a workout vest and sweatpants, the latter borrowed from the ship's stores and marked with the Systems Alliance logo. "You're feeling alright?"  
  
"I'm fine. Honestly, I'm only worried about that Geth data. I'm really hoping Shepard will let me bring it to the Fleet. We have so little information on how the Geth have evolved since the Morning War. It could be of great help to us."  
  
"It's Shepard's call, but if you think it'll help, I'll ask her about it."  
  
"I don't know. I'm afraid she might take it badly."  
  
"Alright. I'll leave it be." Robert slipped up onto one of the other beds, just beside where Tali was waiting. He rested his arms on an upraised knee. "Speaking of the Fleet, how is your father doing? And Admiral Raan?"  
  
"Well, they were fine when I last called," Tali said. "Not that I talk often with them. I'm supposed to be out here proving myself, after all."  
  
"I see your point." Robert recalled Admiral Rael'Zorah vas _Rayya_ and could see Tali being discouraged from calling too often. "The Fleet seems to be doing well for itself from the last reports I've seen."  
  
"It's rare that we find anyone willing to give us anything, usually we have to trade." There was a genuine warmth in her voice. "I still feel surprise that your people gave us sanctuary in your space. I'm sure the Citadel Council didn't make it easy."  
  
"I think there were some frank exchanges of views," Robert said, not hiding his amusement at the sarcasm in the statement. From what he heard, the Council hadn't been pleased at all, but not so displeased that it impacted relations. "Are your people still debating the offer of a new homeworld?"  
  
"Very carefully," Tali said. "We have to find a suitable world first. And worlds with Rannoch's characteristics are very rare."  
  
Robert nodded. The issue of the Quarians' non-existent immune systems was always going to make that difficult. "Hopefully we can find something…"  
  
Before he could finish, a tone filled the ship speaker. " _This is your helmsman speaking_ ," began Lt. Jeff "Joker" Moreau. " _We are about to make our retrieval maneuver to pick up the Commander's Mako from the surface. Please be ready should my badass flying strain the inertial compensators and give us some turbulence. I wouldn't want anyone to get hurt. Thank you for flying Joker Spacelines._ "  
  
"Shepard must be done with whatever happened on your moon," Tali said. "I mean, this universe's version of your moon."  
  
"That's what it sounds like." Robert laid out on the bed and got ready for any jolts should Joker's flying produce them. He still had some curiosity as to what brought the _Normandy_ to Earth's solar system. Shepard's superiors were very hush-hush on the issue, and indeed Shepard was enjoined from bringing anyone other than Kaidan or Ashley on the mission. It unnerved him a little that the Systems Alliance was keeping that kind of secret, even if he knew it was perfectly understandable.  
  
It turned out there was little to complain about the retrieval. Joker's flying was precise, art as much as science, and the inertial compensators were barely strained by his maneuver. The next word they received was Shepard herself. " _All crew and squad members, report for meeting._ "  
  
"I wonder what happened?" Tali asked.  
  
"We may be about to find out."  
  
  
  
  
As it turned out, they didn't find out. Instead, shortly after arriving, everyone turned to face the holographic images of the Citadel Council. As usual, the Asari Councillor, Tevos, took the lead. " _Commander, we've had a breakthrough in the hunt for Saren. An STG regiment has located his primary base._ "  
  
The mood in the room shifted, the tension of a meeting with the Council turning to the anticipation for a showdown. "We'll set course immediately," said Shepard. "Where is he?"  
  
" _The Hoc system, on a planet called Virmire_ ," said Valern, the Salarian Councillor. " _The 3rd STG Regiment is already on planet. They are requesting immediate reinforcement._ "  
  
"We'll get underway now. When will the fleet arrive?"  
  
The moment the Councillors started giving each other looks, Robert knew it they'd be on their own. Sparatus confirmed this. " _Hoc is on the border with the Terminus Systems, Shepard. If anyone deploys fleet assets, it could result in a war. There will be no reinforcement. The removal of Saren's base will be up to you and your assets, with the assistance of the Salarian unit already on site._ "  
  
"I see." Shepard showed no aggravation at this news. "As I said, we'll be on our way immediately."  
  
" _If you can find any data on what Saren's goal is, it must be recovered_ ," said Valern. " _The disposal of his base is left to your discretion._ "  
  
" _We wish you the best, Commander._ "  
  
With that, the Council cut the line.  
  
"So, Saren's main base, and no backup." Garrus leaned forward a little. "Outside of a stranded STG force."  
  
"What about the United Systems?" Ashley looked at Robert. "Maybe they can spare some ships?"  
  
"Not likely." Robert shook his head. "I doubt the Terminus governments will view our ships on their border any better than they'd view Citadel ships. And that's if we had ships to spare. We're just weeks away from the final push for Earth in S4W8, and every available ship and asset is being called in." Seeing the disappointed looks, not to mention sensing it, Robert added, "But we could get a little backup by calling in the _Koenig_."  
  
"A good idea."  
  
"Then I'll call the _Aurora_ as soon as we're out of here."  
  
Shepard nodded in acknowledgement of the offer. "Anything else, everyone?" When no answer was given, she stood from her chair. "Then we're done here." She tapped a key on the chair. "Joker, we're heading to the Hoc system."  
  
" _I hear you, Commander_ ," the pilot replied. " _We're already on course for the Charon Relay._ "  
  
Everyone started filing out of the room. Robert went the opposite way, stepping up to the communications controls and activating the system. After putting in his communication code and accessing the special channel he had for the _Aurora_ , Robert had only seconds to wait before the conference room's holo-viewer activated. Julia was on the other end seated in her office. Seeing his closest friend again brought a smile to his face. Julia smiled as well. " _Rob. How have you been?_ "  
  
"Alright. And you? Everyone else?"  
  
" _Doing well. Cat's healed from Therum now, and her promotion is official._ "  
  
"She's earned it." Robert sighed. "I wish I was there to celebrate with everyone else. This hunt for Saren, it's… it's a burden."  
  
" _It is_ ," she agreed. " _But we're heading to Noveria now to see if we can finally get answers there._ "  
  
"Oh? You got permission? That's good news. As good as our own. That's actually what I was calling about."  
  
" _What is it? Maran mentioned Shepard would be receiving a different assignment._ "  
  
"A Salarian STG unit has located Saren's main base and we're already on our way. It's a world on the frontier called Virmire, one relay jump away from the Terminus Systems in the Hoc system. Because of that the Council won't send ships, and I know Maran won't be able to either. But the _Koenig_ can get in without being detected."  
  
" _Which explains why they're sending us to Noveria instead of Shepard,_ " Julia said, as if a question on her mind had just been answered. " _And you could use any backup that can be spared._ " Julia nodded. " _Alright. I'll let Atreiad know and get the_ Koenig _en route._ "  
  
"Thank you."  
  
" _Good luck_ ," she added. Something drew her attention. Robert could hear Jarod's voice come over the comm system - " _We're preparing to drop out of warp_ " - and she nodded. " _We just made it to Noveria. I've got to go. Again, good luck._ "  
  
"The same to you." Robert closed the channel.  
  
  
  
  
The _Aurora_ dropped from warp and entered orbit of Noveria. On the bridge Caterina was already scanning. "They've surrounded the planet with an anti-beaming shield."  
  
"Well, we knew we'd find something like this."  
  
"Yeah, but there's more than that. I'm showing a handful of space stations at various points in high orbit. They look like they're armed battle stations."  
  
Julia considered that fact. "Are they aiming anything our way?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Given Noveria's reputation, they might be for dealing with whatever is being worked on down there," Jarod noted. "Looking over the schematics, they're meant for bombardment more than orbital defense. Maybe against light raiding ships, but no match for a star cruiser."  
  
"Keep an eye on them anyway." Julia started mentally weighing her options.  
  
"The most obvious course is to take down an assault lander and a Marine team," Meridina said. "It would not be the diplomatic choice however."  
  
"Correct. Hail the planet, I want to speak to whomever is in charge."  
  
Jarod went to work on his control board. Julia leaned back in her seat for a moment before glancing toward Meridina. "This is not going to be easy."  
  
"It rarely is with such," Meridina agreed. "This is a world of secrets, and we wish to shed light upon it."  
  
"That is something to keep in mind…"  
  
It took several more minutes before Jarod looked back. "I've got an Administrator Anoleis on for you."  
  
Julia stood. "Onscreen."  
  
The holo-viewscreen shifted to show an office. In the center of the screen was a Salarian in a suit of different shades of blue, a darker as the primary color. The Salarian had a light pinkish complexion with a blue tint. " _This is Administrator Anoleis. With whom am I speaking?_ "  
  
Julia kept her hands at the her sides. "I'm Captain Julia Andreys of the Alliance _Starship Aurora_. I'm here to investigate links between the Binary Helix corporation and the rogue Spectre agent Saren Arterius."  
  
" _Hrm… request denied._ "  
  
Julia crossed her arms. "We received permission from the board."  
  
" _Which is left to my discretion. I can't have you and your uniformed troops marching around down here. This planet is independent of Citadel and United Systems laws and the investors have paid us handsomely to protect the privacy of their research facilities._ "  
  
"One of those investors is a company owned and operated by a rogue Asari matriarch and a rogue Spectre who is using Geth troops in attacks on the galaxy."  
  
" _Be that as it may, I must insist. You can appeal my decision to the board if you wish._ " Anoleis calmly pressed his hands together. " _And just to inform you, we have quite an impressive array of anti-air weaponry at our disposal. Any unauthorized landing vessels will be fired upon and destroyed. Good day._ "  
  
Without further word, he hit a key beside him and disappeared.  
  
The _Aurora_ crew remained silent. "Well," Locarno finally said, "it looks like diplomacy's not going to be so easy."  
  
"It never is," Julia sighed.


	2. Chapter 2

The _Aurora_ command officers met a short time later in their conference lounge off of the bridge. "There willnae be any beamin' through those shields," Scotty informed everyone. "I'll hand it t' them, they picked a good way t' stop beaming."  
  
"Alright. That leaves the landing option."  
  
"I can take a Marine team whenever you give the order, ma'am," Anders said. "The _Gonzalez_ can slip through."  
  
"Maybe, maybe not." Jarod shook his head. "Their sensors could be fine-tuned to look for disturbances in air flow from a cloaked ship."  
  
"What about a tachyon detection grid?"  
  
"No sign of one of those," Cat said.  
  
Angel pitched in. "So what if we flew down the runabout at a slower speed?"  
  
"I'd need to know what detection systems they have before I knew for sure." Jarod was clearly thinking. "Although… there is another possibility."  
  
"Oh?"  
  
"Simply put, we send a runabout to Port Hanshan," Jarod said. "And we have the _Gonzalez_ follow in the first runabout's wake until the final approach. Once you're that low, you should be below the effective engagement range of any heavy anti-air defenses. You may even be low enough to terrain mask against aerial sensors."  
  
"That's going to require some pretty good piloting," Locarno mused. "And the two runabouts will have to be in a tight formation with complete coordination to avoid a mid-air collision."  
  
"So I fly the _Gonzalez_ and Meridina flies the other runabout," Lucy proposed. "The two of us can remain linked through our life energy, and Meridina's telepathy, to maintain coordination."  
  
"It will work." Meridina nodded at Lucy before turning to face Julia. "And having me with you when you meet Anoleis may be helpful."  
  
Julia pondered that. Aside from the obvious issue that Anoleis hadn't given any landing permission, the plan was workable. She had little objection to it beyond the principle that this would have both her and Meridina off the ship at the same time. And if it worked, she considered letting Meridina handle the negotiations, and might have done so if she wasn't concerned Anoleis might take that as an insult.  
  
Although, in her heart of hearts, Julia admitted to herself that this was probably just a justification to cover her desire to do this personally.  
  
Aloud, she said, "That begs the question of whether Anoleis will open fire on us for approaching Port Hanshan."  
  
"I checked the charter for Noveria, Port Hanshan is not a restricted port, but it is under tight regulation," Jarod said. "Elanus Risk Control Services provides security for the port and consider themselves justified in impounding vessels that land, if they're deemed a risk to the security of the world."  
  
"Do you really think these corporate types would get that hardcore?" Angel asked. "It's not like they have a defense fleet. Their battle stations are good for bombing the planet or fighting off light attacks, but the _Aurora_ can wipe the floor with them and their defenses."  
  
"There are a number of incredibly powerful and influential corporations on Noveria," Jarod answered. "As in companies that have major pull in the economies of Citadel member species, so they have a lot of political influence to go with it. That's what allows them to get away with this, and what they'll use against the Alliance if we employ any kind of force."  
  
"But we're here helping the Citadel investigate the threat or a rogue Spectre," Cat said. "Doesn't that count for anything?"  
  
"Not as much as you might think."  
  
"I don't think Anoleis will go that far," Julia said. "And if he does, we'll break off our approach and see if they track _Gonzalez_. If absolutely necessary, the _Aurora_ can return limited fire to suppress their defenses."  
  
"If we want to make an impression, an escort of senior officers may be in order," suggested the ship's chief of security, Lieutenant Commander Phryne Richmond. Her Australian accent had an English, upper class air to it.  
  
Julia considered that. "Then you and Lieutenant Delgado will join us," she said. Angel would provide muscle and Richmond another source of insight, given she had background in investigative work.  
  
"Who's going down to the Binary Helix site?" Barnes asked. "Hell, what is it anyway?"  
  
"It's a facility called Peak 15," Jarod revealed. A couple taps at his controls brought up a holographic image over the conference table, depicting a two-part installation, one at the side of a glacial mountain and the other part buried inside of it, connected by a personnel tram line. "Binary Helix hasn't been forthcoming with what's inside, just that they use it for biological research. From our sensor readings, the surface facility includes a fusion reactor that acts as their primary power source. But given the sensor-resistant material used in constructing it, we can't determine anything like life signs within."  
  
"So we'll be going in blind," said Major Gabriel Anders, the _Aurora_ 's Marine Commander of Troops. "Do we at least have a floor plan?"  
  
"I'm afraid not," Jarod said.  
  
"Well, it didn't hurt to ask." Anders nodded at him before facing Julia. "Captain, I'd like to take a platoon. We don't know what the situation is and I don't want an undermanned team."  
  
"You can take them. You'll also be taking along Lieutenant Lucero, Ensign Talara, and Doctor T'Soni," Julia said.  
  
"Are you sure you shouldn't have Doctor T'Soni with you in Port Hanshan?" Leo asked. "If she has any legal rights as Benezia's daughter…"  
  
"She wouldn't," Jarod said. "She's not listed as a shareholder, nor someone with corporate authority. Anoleis wouldn't listen to her."  
  
"She's with you, Major," Julia affirmed. "Is there anything else?" When there was no response Julia stood. "Then you're all dismissed."  
  
  
  
  
The _Aurora_ 's secondary shuttle bay existed to compliment the first, providing extra capacity and as convenience for the ship's Marines, who maintained their main armory and bunking in the bottom decks of the ship. If they were called upon to quickly deploy on assault landers, they could do so through this specific shuttle bay, where the stealth lander runabout _Gonzalez_ and several other landing craft were kept.  
  
The _Gonzalez_ emerged and swung "upward", moving around the _Aurora_ 's stern to approach the main shuttle bay. It opened as well and another runabout emerged. This one, the _Irrawaddy_ , was a normal-configuration runabout, meant more for transfer of low volume supplies or relatively-small numbers of crew over short interstellar distances. It was, all things considered, larger than necessary for this job, but a shuttle would not suffice.  
  
Lucy felt out with her senses until she felt Meridina's mind. The two linked together. There was a comforting calm in Meridina's mind, a calm that helped Lucy maintain the bond. Each saw what the other was doing, what the other was thinking, to a degree that made it easy for them to fly the runabouts in close formation. The _Gonzalez_ cloaked while the _Aurora_ shielded them from sight. By Port Hanshan's sensors, only one craft was descending from the Alliance starship in orbit.  
  
The mental link remained through the re-entry process. With one common movement the two put their respective ships into atmospheric flight, cutting impulse drives and activating the thrusters. They slipped around a snowstorm and moved on to toward a series of structures built into the mountain plateau below. The approach was a tense one with the possibility of being fired upon requiring constant, wearying vigilance.  
  
But no fire came.  
  
_It's time_. Meridina's message was acknowledged. Gently Lucy leveled out the _Gonzalez_ until the runabout was no longer losing altitude. Within seconds they were no longer masked by the wake of the _Irrawaddy_. Lucy kept her senses open for any incoming attack. But there was no threat, by land or air.  
  
"So far so good," Anders said. "How much longer until we reach our destination?"  
  
"We have to maintain a low air-speed to avoid creating a detectable wake from displaced air," Lucy explained. "It's going to be another hour or so. I'll let you know when we land."  
  
"Understood, Lieutenant."  
  
  
  
  
The _Irrawaddy_ came to a landing on one of the landing pads for shuttles and other smaller aerospace craft. The dock's managing VI extended the dock arm to cover the starboard-side airlock. Julia took the lead in heading through the airlock. A decontamination chamber was quickly passed through - it would be used on their return trip - and they walked through the gate path ahead, much like those Julia saw on the couple of occasions her family took flights as a child.  
  
At the other end they emerged through a scanning system and were met by a Human woman of mostly East Asian heritage. "I am Captain Maeko Matsuo of Elanus Risk Control Service. Welcome to Noveria, Captain Andreys."  
  
"Thank you, Captain Matsuo," Julia answered. "These are my officers."  
  
"Yes, and I am aware of their identities as well." Matsuo continued to be formal, if a little stiff. "I'm afraid I must ask you for your weapons. Under NDC regulations only ERCS personnel are permitted to be armed on Noveria." She glanced to Meridina. "That would include your energy blade weapon, Commander."  
  
For a moment Julia considered refusing. She didn't like the thought of being unarmed. _There is no ill will from Captain Matsuo_ , Meridina reported to her mentally. _She can be trusted.  
  
But can everyone else? _ Regardless, Julia reached for her holster and unlatched it from the side of her uniform pants. The others did the same, and all of their weapons - three pulse pistols and Meridina's lightsaber - were soon placed in a nearby bin. Matsuo tapped at her omnitool. Their own flashed to life with a display. "Your receipts, Captain. For when you leave and your weapons can be returned."  
  
"Thank you."  
  
Behind Matsuo and her soldiers, a Human woman walked up. She was in a fashionable gown, business attire for M4P2, with close-cut dark hair and brown eyes. "Captain Andreys? I'm Gianna Parasini, secretary for Administrator Anoleis. He asked me to escort you here."  
  
"Nice hospitality," Angel said as they fell in to follow Parasini. "At least you didn't try and shoot us down on the way in."  
  
"Administrator Anoleis is very cautious with allowing outsiders onto the planet. And your purpose is at odds with his job. He's here to protect our investors' privacy and interests, even from each other. It's the same reason why nobody is allowed weapons," Parasini said. "Noveria's corporations are competitors in many fields. Mutual disarmament is for everyone's safety."  
  
"It's understood," Julia said. "I've had to disarm before for diplomatic meetings."  
  
"Thank you for your understanding."  
  
As they cleared customs, Julia allowed herself a small grin. Not having firearms hurt, but at the same time, they were hardly helpless if trouble broke out. Meridina didn't need weapons to throw people across the room, after all, and the rest of the team were practiced hand-to-hand fighters. _Although if we end up in a fight with security, we'll need a lot of luck_.  
  
A journey through glass-paned doors and a large area of open offices and M4P2's version of cubicles led them to an inside plaza that sloped downward. Pathways led around decorative water pools to give the plaza a soothing background sound of quietly-rushing water.  
  
At one corner of this internal plaza was the spacious office of the administrator. Parasini saw them to the inner office, where Anoleis waited, and retreated to her desk at the outer office.  
  
"...won't buy us out, the board won't allow it," Anoleis was saying to someone over a comm line. "I don't care how much money… just stop worrying and take care of it. I've got guests now… yes, I'm sure, now goodbye." Anoleis' finger tapped something on his desk. He looked at them with irritated. "Captain Andreys. I was hoping you would take the hint and leave. If you insist on these strong-arm tactics, the Noveria Development Corporation will issue a protest against you to your superiors and the media."  
  
"Strong-arm tactics?" Julia crossed her arms. "Administrator, I will remind you that _you_ were the one who flaunted having weapons and threatened to use them. I came because of a good faith arrangement between my government and your superiors."  
  
"You call it a good faith agreement, but be honest. You and your government, with the connivance of certain other figures, arm-twisted some of the board members into giving authorization to something that blatantly violates the charter of the Corporation. The fact that I let you land is a concession on my part, and don't expect any more."  
  
"We're here on behalf of the Citadel and the Allied Systems to investigate a rogue Spectre's links to one of the corporations on this planet," Julia said. "This is a matter of life or death."  
  
"I have heard such hyperbole before, and it will not sway me. You may interview anyone here as part of this investigation, but no more. Good day."  
  
Julia didn't need mental powers to sense that Angel was ready to punch the smug Salarian in the face. She felt a similar brief impulse. She glanced to Meridina who shook her head. "Very well. I'll be contacting your board about your lack of cooperation, Administrator."  
  
"You may do so. The board knows I'm acting in their best interest. Now please leave."  
  
With nothing more to say anyway, Julia led the others out. The door to the inner office slid to a close behind them. Parasini looked up from her desk. "You don't look happy, Captain. He's obstructing your investigation?"  
  
"He is."  
  
Parasini nodded. "Good luck, Captain. Maybe you can find someone here with the pull to force Anoleis to cooperate. We have a lounge up at the mezzanine. You can't rent one of the attached hotel rooms - you're not a corporate account holder - but you can purchase anything you want at the lounge."  
  
The obvious hint was recognized. "Thank you, Miss Parasini. Have a good day." With that, Julia led them out of the office.  
  
"So, why do I get the feeling that slimy jerk is up to no good?" Angel asked, frowning.  
  
"I would be careful referring to Salarians as 'slimy', it could be seen as a slur," Richmond noted. "And yes, I know the type well. I have little doubt Administrator Anoleis has his own agenda, not simply the defense of the good investors in the planet."  
  
"I am not used to Salarian minds," Meridina admitted upon seeing the looks she was getting from the others. "I did feel as if he were not only displeased by our presence, but worried about it."  
  
"He didn't say anything about the ship," Angel remarked. Her hazel eyes scanned their surroundings, and it was clear to the others she wasn't talking about the _Aurora_ or the _Irrawaddy_. "So maybe this is moot?"  
  
Julia glanced toward Meridina, who nodded. _Even if it is, I don't want to leave too early and raise Anoleis' suspicions_ , she thought, trusting in Meridina to relay the thought to the others. Given the nods, they received the message. "Well, let's see how the local cuisine stacks up to Hargert's cooking."  
  
"Most likely inferior," Richmond said.  
  
"Hopefully it's at least 75 centi-Hargerts." When that remark drew the attention of the others, Angel chuckled. "Cat's been using that scale for judging food made by other cooks. I thought it sounded funny."  
  
Julia allowed herself a chuckle of agreement before heading on. As they walked, she noticed Meridina frown. "What is it?"  
  
"I'm not sure," she said. "No danger I can sense, just an uneasy feeling. A distant threat."  
  
"Well, that is certainly helpful," remarked Richmond as they continued on.  
  
From a distance away, a figure observed them walk toward the lift for the mezzanine level. A small smile crossed the lips of a face that was only noteworthy for the sunglasses worn upon the face. Quietly the figure continued on its business.  
  
  
  
  
When the _Normandy_ entered orbit of Virmire, Robert found himself admiring Saren in one respect.  
  
The planet he chose for his base was _gorgeous_.  
  
Virmire was a garden planet, tending toward "tropical". Deep blue seas girded the planet, the continents dominated by lush green forests and snow-capped mountain ridges. It reminded him of images of other tropical planets known as resort worlds.  
  
While he was looking at the image showing on the cockpit sensor, Shepard was viewing a map of the area the Salarian infiltrators scouted out. "Saren's got anti-air artillery defenses covering the entire area. Joker, think you can land at the speed you'll need to evade those guns?"  
  
Joker shook his head. "I'm the best in the Fleet, Commander, but even I can't beat the laws of physics. The velocity I'll need to evade the guns will make the landing impossible given the terrain."  
  
"It's a shame the Systems Alliance didn't fit the _Normandy_ with a transporter," Robert said.  
  
"I wouldn't recommend that either," said one of the technical officers, a young woman seated at the sensor station near Joker. "There's an anti-beaming field over the area. And there are several Geth ships in the area. Including… it looks like a dreadnought of some kind. But it doesn't even have the same power signature as the Geth ships."  
  
"Show me," Shepard ordered, turning toward that station.  
  
The operator obeyed. A holo-screen came into existence over her station, depicting what looked to Robert like a sea creature, a cephalopoid he couldn't remember the name of, with red lighting along its dull reddish exterior. "It looks like the ship that was at Eden Prime."  
  
"It is," said Shepard, her voice grim. " _Sovereign_. Where is it?"  
  
"Toward the outer edge of the solar system. It's on a perimeter patrol from the look of things. Still several hours out at STL speeds."  
  
"Good for us, then," Robert noted. "Any idea where Saren could get a ship like that? I've studied more recognition profiles than I can count and I've seen nothing like it."  
  
"Given what Shiala said, I can't help but wonder if Saren found an old Reaper ship," Shepard replied. "Just as long as it stays out there. Keep an eye on it."  
  
"Yes ma'am."  
  
"As for our landing, it sounds like our best bet is a landing with the Mako," Shepard said. She tapped a key on her omnitool. "Deployment squad, report to the cargo bay. We're making a combat drop."  
  
"I'll get you as close as I can, Commander," Joker promised as Shepard left the cockpit, Robert following.  
  
  
  
  
Less than fifteen minutes later, everyone was strapped into the Mako's seats, with Shepard at the driving controls and Kaidan at the gunnery seat beside her. Robert sat with Ashley and Garrus while Tali and Wrex were across from them. "Everyone strapped in?" Shepard asked loudly.  
  
One by one, the riders confirmed their deployment harnesses were in place.  
  
Those harnesses were tested half a minute later when the Mako jerked suddenly, the result of the massive deceleration after dropping from the speeding _Normandy_ 's cargo bay. The stealth frigate's approach had been lower than normal to evade the fire of Saren's defenses, causing the landing to be even bumpier than the usual deployment from a higher altitude. The experience was jarring and nearly convinced Robert he'd cracked a rib.  
  
"Hold tight everyone." Shepard, with her usual terrifying exactness, wheeled the Mako into line with the coastal streambed and sent it roaring down the coastline of Virmire.  
  
  
  
  
The _Gonzalez_ came to a soft landing in the snow outside of the Peak 15 vehicle garage. The rear hatch door opened and armor-clad Marines stepped out, seeming to come from nothing should anyone have been viewing the cloaked ship's location. Anders' Marines spread out to secure the entrance to the towering facility. Eight of the Marines were clad in heavy power armor, the others in lighter armor suits. Anders himself was in a specialized command armor suit with customized elements.  
  
At Anders' insistence, Liara was wearing another of the light armor suits, while Talara was, like Lucy, in a set of purple Gersallian-style armor made for the Order of Swenya. Both were in combat robes and wearing helmets as well, given the growing chill in the environment. Talara had no lightsaber or Gersallian _lakesh_ \- the memory metal swords the Order still employed - given her lack of training in those weapons, so she had a pulse pistol.  
  
"Nothing so far," Anders noted.  
  
Lucy nodded at him. "But there is something here…"  
  
Anders nodded and went off to give his Marines orders. Liara glanced to Lucy. "What's here?"  
  
"I'm not sure. I sense something… it's not normal, and it's not Geth. Life. But mindless." Lucy frowned. "Let's get going."  
  
Peak 15's garage was empty of any signs of life. The team moved through it and to an entranceway, the only one, which led to an airlock overseen by a control room on the other side.. Everyone noticed the automated turrets present, and how they were pointing _inward_. "That's not a good sign," Liara said.  
  
"They're more afraid of something getting out than someone getting in," Lucy agreed. She felt through the Flow of Life and frowned.  
  
"Something bad has happened here," Talara said. "I feel wrong. Something is wrong."  
  
"There's been death here," Lucy said. "That's what you feel. The terror of the dying before their lives ended." She glanced toward Liara. "The report indicated your mother arrived not too long ago. Maybe this is related."  
  
"Goddess I hope not," Liara replied.  
  
They cleared the turret defenses. "Should we leave anyone to secure our exit?" Lucy asked Anders.  
  
Anders considered the proposal. "Hutchins, your squad stays here. Hold the entrance."  
  
The Marine in question, a man of dark tanned skin with a mostly Australian accent, replied, "Yes Major." He began directing the Marines in his squad. One of them activated their omnitool and began uplinking to take over the turrets.  
  
The rest continued on. An elevator took them several stories up, into the main body of the facility. The halls and offices and rooms were likewise empty. "This place looks like it employs dozens of people, probably hundreds," Anders observed. "And you say you feel death."  
  
"I do."  
  
"So where are the bodies?"  
  
It was a good question, and it haunted Lucy while they entered what looked like the cafeteria. Arranged along the exterior wall were areas with tables; the interior had closed rooms with computer terminals upon the tables, presumably a rec area.  
  
But now the entire chamber was coated in snow, presumably blown through the ventilation systems.  
  
  
"I think I'm picking up life signs somewhere," one of the Marines said.  
  
Anders checked his instruments. "Same here. But nothing localized. The damn place is made to baffle sensor readings." He glanced toward Lucy and Talara. "Save yours, it seems."  
  
Lucy, for her part, stopped. She sensed it now. There was something here. Something… mindless. Instinctive.  
  
_Hungry_.  
  
She sensed the intent and pulled her lightsaber. "Incoming!" Anders shouted immediately. As he did so, and as the electronic snap-hiss of the lightsaber activating filled the chamber, the snow around them exploded.  
  
What appeared were large insectoid creatures. Their hides were a dull brown, with two clawed hands on short arms and two tentacles with gripping appendages - or tearing ones, given their look - raised above the circular head and the long, vicious mouth. From around them issued several smaller insects, four-legged little critters about twenty-five centimeters in length.  
  
The lead creature spat out a glob of material. Lucy reflected it with her powers and sent said material flying into the wall, where it bubbled and started etching a mark. _Acid_ was her thought at that, while her body was already moving almost on its own. Her weapon came up and then around, slicing horizontally through the monster's body. It let out a death screech.  
  
Weapons fire filled the room. The Marines were thorough in their reaction. Liara and Talara contributed with their sidearms, creating a barrage of fire that poured into the largest of them. Even as it was clear the biggest of the alien bugs were being shot up, one of the Marines shouted in pain. "Status?!" Anders demanded when fire stopped.  
  
Lucy was already drawn toward one Marine, down on his rear. Acid bubbled over his light armor torso. "Nasty stuff," she murmured.  
  
"Damn thing blew up on me," the Marine in question said, pain written on his expression. "Just blew apart into a glob of this stuff."  
  
"Acid burns," confirmed the unit corpsman a moment later. "He'll be fine in a minute."  
  
"Alright." Anders looked at the ruined remains of one of the creatures before turning to Liara. "Any idea what the hell these things are?"  
  
"None. Though… they do look familiar."  
  
Talara was already operating her omnitool. "I'll see if there are any records in Alliance databanks."  
  
"You can reach the ship from inside here?" Lucy asked.  
  
"No, but the _Gonzalez_ can. I'm routing through… okay, it looks like we have a result. From historical archives. Something called 'Rachni'."  
  
"What?" Liara glanced toward Talara. "Rachni? You're sure?"  
  
"That's the result."  
  
"Goddess, Mother, what have you done?" Liara asked aloud.  
  
"So you know what these things are?" Lucy asked her.  
  
"Yes. An insectoid species that went to war with the Citadel races over a thousand years ago. This was before the Turians were widely known in the galaxy, and my people and the Salarians weren't able to contain them. It was why the Salarians uplifted the Krogan. To fight for us."  
  
"Huh." Anders shook his head. "Crap. So Saren's making more of these things?"  
  
"It would appear so. Although I do not understand why."  
  
"It's fine, Liara." Lucy sensed her unease and disbelief in her mother's activities. She placed a hand on the Asari's shoulder to reassure her. "Just one more question for your mother. Speaking of, we should probably get moving. Whatever she's here to do, we probably need to stop her."  
  
"Agreed," said Liara. "We do."  
  
  
  
  
In the skies over Virmire, the _ASV Normandy_ banked hard. A slug of mass effect-accelerated metal whizzed just above one of the adjustable nacelle wings of the ship. The _Normandy_ spiraled through the atmosphere and evaded another shot.  
  
Aboard her, the crew were at battle stations, everyone doing their duty… particularly the helmsman of the ship.  
  
Joker brought the _Normandy_ out of the dive his spiral put her in and buzzed meters away from a rock outcropping, bringing her back out over the deep blue seas. " _Normandy_ to Shepard. Commander, please tell me you're almost done."  
  
" _Standby._ "  
  
  
  
  
The Mako's main gun thundered the moment Shepard pulled up to the AA emplacement site. The shot slammed into the wall of the gate structure adjoining the emplacement, creating a blast that took out three Geth platforms.  
  
"Go!"  
  
At Shepard's command, Kaidan was the first to jump from the vehicle. His assault rifle swung up and sprayed suppressing fire at the structure while he rushed for cover. Wrex did the same as he emerged.  
  
Robert was the next out. Rather than go for his pistol, he reached out with his abilities. One of the Geth platforms flew to the side, slamming into the other and reducing the incoming fire. Another platform collapsed from the machine gun rounds firing from the coaxial weapon on the Mako's turret, now under Ashley's control.  
  
Tali emerged with Garrus. The latter found cover and sighted with his sniper rifle. A moment later a Geth platform's head was nearly blown off by a shot. Tali moved ahead and joined Robert in approaching the stairs.  
  
The Mako swung into motion again. Not quickly enough to avoid taking a few rockets to its kinetic barriers, but moving when it did allowed the vehicle to evade more fire. Shepard kept the Mako's motions as precise as she could manage, allowing Ashley to use the turret gun to deadly effect.  
  
With Kaidan, Garrus, and the Mako providing cover fire, Robert dashed up the stairs with Wrex and Tali. At the top of the stairs they had to stop to avoid incoming fire. The Geth platform firing at them kept up said fire until Garrus shot it in the side of the head from his position.  
  
Robert sensed the coming danger and sprang forward first. He felt a surge of excitement within him at the occasion and, for the first time, he ignited the weapon Lucy had given him in anger. The green lightsaber blade met the incoming rocket and sliced it in half, rendering the explosive charge within inert.  
  
This move involved exposing him to fire, so Robert kept moving, and Wrex and Tali followed. He used a burst of force to knock down a squad of incoming Geth trooper platforms, leaving them helpless for Wrex and Tali to shoot. Far ahead of them, more enemies went down to the Mako's main gun. The blast was just far enough away that Robert easily deflected it by concentrating energy into a wall of force ahead of them.  
  
The three continued on to the side of the structure. Above an AA emplacement continued to track and occasionally fire. "The _Normandy_ doesn't have much time," Robert said, huffing as he ran. "We've got to…"  
  
As they neared the end of the corridor to the controls, three of the largest Krogan he'd ever seen stepped into sight. Each was armed with an assault rifle.  
  
To stop them, Robert gathered enough energy to block their fire. Immediately after he acted Tali raised the arm with her omnitool. It activated and a pulse of heat generated by the tool struck the middle and left Krogans from Robert's perspective. It didn't do anything to them but when their weapons tried to fire nothing happened.  
  
Tali's weapon worked just fine, however, as was proven a moment later when she fired. Blood and flesh erupted from the Krogan's neck. The Krogan screamed. Its eyes focused on Tali and Robert could feel the rage coming from the thing.  
  
It started to charge even as Tali's weapon thundered again. The next shot struck it in the head. The Krogan went down.  
  
Wrex opened fire on the Krogan who still had an effective weapon. The shot pulped the Krogan's arm, causing him to drop the gun. Freed from incoming fire, Robert drew on the life energy in and around him and channeled it into a burst that sent the middle Krogan flying back toward the AA controls.  
  
Wrex's shotgun roared again as well. Robert tried not to think of what came flying out of the back of the last Krogan's head.  
  
That left one Krogan, who was still picking himself up from the ground. "You're beaten," Robert said to him. "Stop."  
  
The Krogan growled wordlessly. Robert stared at him and tried to get a feel for the mind within, to see if he could influence it as Meridina and others had taught him.  
  
A feeling of horror gripped Robert at the realization that there was nothing there. The Krogan was… mindless. It had only impulses, directed by an authority it felt compelled to obey. Presumably Saren's authority.  
  
The remaining Krogan charged. But he didn't get far. Shotguns rang out, blast by blast, until the Krogan collapsed in a bloody pile of rent flesh and flowing blood.  
  
Robert put his weapon away. "Tali?"  
  
"Give me a moment." She approached the controls and began operating them. "Clever. They're trying to cut this console off and shift the gun entirely to remote control. But I won't let that happen."  
  
Robert looked up at the gun, even now swiveling to track the _Normandy_. He contemplated trying to destroy it himself. With the increased abilities he had…  
  
...but would that be all he did? If his control slipped, he might do more than just pull the gun apart. He could blow it apart in a way that might hurt them. Or create a wave of force around him that harmed Wrex and Tali… maybe even bring this entire structure down too.  
  
"Alright…. ha! That will show those _bosh'tet_ monsters." One of Tali's fingers hit a key. The gun above immediately lowered. She triggered her communications. "Shepard, the gun is offline."  
  
" _Great work. Get back here so we can move on to the Salarian field base_."  
  
As they stepped away, Robert noticed Wrex giving a glance toward the dead Krogan. He sensed the Krogan mercenary's lingering dissatisfaction with the choices his people were making. A sense of helplessness at the fate of his people pervaded Wrex.  
  
Robert said nothing. There was nothing he could say that would bring comfort.  
  
  
  
  
The mezzanine of the Noveria Development Corporation's hotel in Port Hanshan was just as posh to the _Aurora_ crew's eyes as the rest of the facility. They sat at a table near the railing. " _Still nothing_ ," Jarod was saying. " _But we expected that._ "  
  
"The same here," Julia said. "Enough that I'm starting to get suspicious. Would you mind…"  
  
" _I'll do some research through Alliance networks and see if there's anything to this Anoleis or his company._ "  
  
"Did you get through to Admiral Maran?"  
  
" _No. He's out of Portland now._ "  
  
"I see. Well, let me know if you find anything out. Andreys out."  
  
Angel crossed her arms. "Glad to know I'm not the only one who doesn't like this," she said. "That guy's up to something."  
  
"That goes without saying, Lieutenant," Richmond remarked. She looked the most settled in their environment. "This is a planet of secrets. We're outsiders."  
  
"Why would Administrator Anoleis risk his job by defying the company board?" Meridina asked. "That is the question that puzzles me. He is a mercenary man. This is not a matter of principle to him."  
  
"Undoubtedly he has something to hide as well," Richmond commented. "Perhaps that is what we should find out…" She narrowed her eyes while looking away from them.  
  
Julia followed the direction of Richmond's eyes to see what caught her attention. She was looking at a distant table.  
  
Seated there was a Human man, or at least Human-looking, although his wear definitely struck Julia as Human. In fact, it was the one business suit here she was most familiar with, a dress jacket of black worn over an ice-blue buttoned down shirt with a formal collar. A black tie was fitted perfectly to the shirt, likely tied to one of the buttons to keep it straight. BIack dress shoes and pants matching the jacket filled out the man's clothing.  
  
And black gloves as well. Black gloves and, covering his eyes, a set of ray-ban aviator-style glasses.  
  
_Sunglasses? Inside? On Noveria?_ Julia thought.  
  
The man himself was not stout or even large, although he had broad shoulders. If he had any strength at all it would be the wiry kind of strength that those with smaller figures could have. His skin was pale and sallow, indicating that if there was more color to it he would have a brown complexion like Angel's.  
  
By now Meridina and Angel were also looking toward the man. "What is it? Why are we looking at this guy?" Angel asked.  
  
"He's been following us," Richmond said. "Watching us. I'm certain of it."  
  
"Do you think Anoleis sent him?" Julia asked.  
  
"Possible…"  
  
Julia glanced to Meridina. Meridina was focused on the man. But the look on her face was one of bewilderment. "I cannot look into his mind, not even in a surface fashion," Meridina said. "There is something familiar…"  
  
The man stood up and approached them. "I see I need no longer keep my distance." He spoke English with an accent that wasn't quite American nor English itself. Julia thought she knew the accent, but couldn't place it. "Captain Julia Andreys of the Alliance _Starship Aurora_ , I presume?"  
  
He offered a gloved hand. Julia met his eyes - or she imagined she did, given the sunglasses - before finally standing and accepting the hand. "With officers," she said. "I'm afraid I've never met you before, Mister…"  
  
"You haven't," he said, still not using his name. "I apologize for the inequity of this situation. I suspect you are here because of the Binary Helix situation?"  
  
"It's owned by a rogue Spectre and his Asari lieutenant," Julia said. "So yes. We're still being denied access, though."  
  
"And you will continue to be denied. Anoleis has been very quick to block any further inquiry into Peak 15. I suspect that Benezia bribed him when she arrived. You will never be given permission to enter Peak 15, and should it be discovered you have done so anyway… Anoleis will undoubtedly react swiftly and without discrimination. Your lives will be endangered, and possibly those of your allies as well."  
  
The stranger's free granting of information - true or false - made his purpose obvious. "What is it you want from us, Mister…"  
  
"I want nothing from you," he said. "Mister Lorik Qui'in, however, has common cause with you against Anoleis." The man indicated a Turian sitting by himself a couple tables down, drinking from a container. "He is mostly sober even now. Mostly. I suggest you speak to him before he is not so." Smiling, the man nodded once to her. "Good day, Captain. I look forward to seeing how you handle this situation. You have quite a reputation to live up to."  
  
With that, the man walked away.  
  
"Well, that wasn't suspicious at all, was it?" Angel grumbled.  
  
"I sensed no deception," Meridina said. But her face betrayed her uncertainty. "I sensed nothing telepathically. But my _swevyra_ sensed honesty. I believe he was trying to help."  
  
"Although not out of the kindness of his heart," Richmond said.  
  
"Probably not," Julia agreed. She'd not sit down yet. "Well, let's see what Lorik Qui'in has to say to us."  
  
  
  
  
The need to check for Rachni made the trip to Peak 15's engineering center take longer than had been anticipated. Upon arrival Lucy and Anders immediately went to work checking the power core. Talara, her pistol still in hand, looked toward Liara. "How are you, Doctor?" she asked respectfully.  
  
"I am… I do not know. I feel…" Liara shook her head. "It's been weeks since I first learned about it, but I still can't understand why my mother is working with Saren. And on things like this. Reviving the Rachni? Why would she do this? This… this isn't like her, Ensign. Not at all. My mother believed in peaceful solutions and negotiation. She was devoted to our belief in diplomacy."  
  
"Given what we have learned, your mother has had her independence stripped from her."  
  
"Is it odd that I hope you're right? That this… it isn't her fault, but Saren's?"  
  
"No, Doctor. Not odd at all."  
  
Lucy's voice called out, "Anders, what's the status on that VI interface?"  
  
"Re-aligning now," the Marine commander replied.  
  
A female voice began to speak. " _Mira VI is online. Peak 15 command interface compromised. Heavy damage reported._ "  
  
"System, we need access to the second station, inside the glacier," Anders said.  
  
" _Access to Rift Station is not possible. Trams are sealed due to failure of power landlines. Insufficient power due to reactor shut down._ "  
  
"Well, there's our answer," Lucy sighed. "Let's go get the reactor back up and those landlines restored."  
  
  
  
  
Some backtracking through the engineering section was necessary to get to a lift that brought them up to the reactor core. Anders detached a squad to hold the lift.  
  
The reactor control area was a maze of catwalks and piping around the central reactor core. They entered the control room and Lucy went to work checking the panels. "Okay, let's see what's wrong with..."  
  
Before she could finish the sentence, gunfire broke out. "I've got hostiles!" one of the Marines shouted. A plasma round slammed into his torso and threw him back.  
  
"Hostiles on this end too!" shouted another Marine. She and her fireteam returned fire.  
  
To either side of the control room, Geth platforms were jumping down from upper levels.  
  
"Looks like Benezia brought more than just commandos," Anders said. "There's at least two dozen of them out there. Sergeant Devakul, bring your squad up."  
  
At that command, the Thai man and the other heavy power armor Marines moved forward. Splitting into two fire teams of four, the Marines moved among their comrades and opened up with the heavy weapons built into the arms of their armor suits. Their fire eliminated several Geth platforms, though not all. Shields helped them get into cover as needed from the return fire.  
  
Lucy finished looking over the displays. "I've got to get to the fuel lines. The shutdown procedure cut them off."  
  
"Well, there's a bunch of Geth in the way, Lieutenant."  
  
"I know." Lucy pulled her weapon from her belt. "Keep them busy."  
  
Anders opened his mouth to protest, but it was too late. Lucy was already running through the left door of the control room. He watched her weapon come up and start deflecting the incoming shots. "Dammit… Marines, suppressing fire! Give our girl the opening to get us the hell out of here!"  
  
Moving out on the catwalk presented Lucy as a target for crossfire from other angles. But no shot could seem to land on her, not with her lightsaber buzzing in mid-air, striking every incoming plasma bolt and sending it back toward the shooter. A Geth that got too close learned what the lightsaber was capable of, losing vital limbs or parts to a flash of blue light.  
  
Lucy had better things to do than fight, though. She jumped to another catwalk, then to a third, and moved on to the fuel line controls.  
  
A sudden warning went through her being. Desperately Lucy threw the metaphorical brakes on her forward movement.  
  
This brought her to a stop just before the Geth Prime landed on the walkway with a loud clang. An electronic, trilling kind of noise came from the big, three meter tall Geth before its weapon came up and opened fire.  
  
  
  
  
The _Normandy_ was already landing at the Salarian field base when the Mako pulled up. A Salarian with green coloring and a white STG combat uniform was waiting for Shepard and her team as they piled out of the Mako. "Commander Shepard?" the Salarian asked.  
  
"Shepard here." Shepard stepped forward from the others and offered her hand. "We got here as soon as we could."  
  
"Captain Kirrahe, 3rd Infiltration Regiment STG. My First Officer, Commander Rentola."  
  
The second Salarian nodded at them.  
  
"My team here." Shepard introduced them, including Robert.  
  
"Captain Dale? Formerly of the _Starship Aurora_?"  
  
"That's me," Robert replied.  
  
"I am familiar with your record," Kirrahe noted. "Your ship covered the 3rd's extraction from the Reich planet of Clirison over a year ago. I admit I am surprised to see you have transferred."  
  
"I was out of commission for a while," Robert said. "My first officer is in command of the _Aurora_ now, so I decided to move on."  
  
"Understood. It's a pleasure to meet one of the United Systems' new Paladin agents. Not to mention the first Human Spectre." He returned his attention to Shepard.  
  
"What's the situation, Captain?" she asked him.  
  
"We've located Saren's base, approximately two kilometers on the other side of this outer wall." Kirrahe indicated a wall cutting across the coastline nearby. "I have conducted some reconnaissance, but not without cost. Our losses have been heavy. I've lost half of my men in skirmishes with the Geth and Saren's Krogan while investigating this facility. That's why I asked for reinforcements. When is the fleet arriving?"  
  
Shepard seemed surprised at that. "It's not. We're it."  
  
Robert sensed a flare of frustration. "I told the Council we needed a fleet. Saren's defenses are too well-established. AA guns out to ten kilometers have already locked onto your ship."  
  
"We took out a couple of guns on the way in," Shepard said. "But I'm getting the feeling we won't be flying the _Normandy_ to the base."  
  
"Most definitely not. And even with their loss of local coverage, the AA defenses are heavy enough that Saren's forces have a good chance of shooting your ship down."  
  
"But he didn't shoot the _Normandy_ down," Tali said. "Why not if he could have?"  
  
"Maybe he wants us here," Garrus suggested. "After Feros and the Armstrong Nebula, Saren has to want us dead."  
  
"This is why I asked for a fleet," Kirrahe said. "Anything less and Saren's defenses are too strong."  
  
"The Council doesn't want to send a fleet this close to the Terminus Systems," Shepard explained. "They're concerned it could spark a war."  
  
"My government feels the same way," Robert confirmed. "At best, we have a backup ship on the way, but the _Koenig_ 's just a light attack ship."  
  
Kirrahe's expression betrayed his frustration. Before he could speak, another voice called out, "Captain." Another Salarian, of amber and white coloring, rushed up and saluted. "I have those scan results you wanted." He activated his omnitool and relayed the data to Kirrahe's. Kirrahe activated his own and started looking over the amber-hued images. Robert sensed his shock. Shepard and the others noticed as well.  
  
Shepard asked, "What's wrong?"  
  
"We took samples from the Krogan fighting for Saren, due to their irregular behavior in and out of combat."  
  
"Yeah, they do act a little weird," Wrex said. "I figured it had to do with what that Asari on Feros told us."  
  
"That may be involved, but…" Kirrahe stopped himself. "There are other factors. This confirms our suspicions. This facility's primary purpose appears to be for producing Krogan for Saren's forces."  
  
"What?" Wrex's attention fixed on the Salarian like a laser. "How?"  
  
Kirrahe seemed to consider his answer for a moment. There was resignation in his voice when he admitted, "It appears Saren has managed to cure the genophage."  
  
Robert felt the incredulity in the others. It was understandable. The genophage, the genetic disorder that the Salarians developed nearly a millennia before to stop the Krogan Rebellion against the Citadel Council by causing the entire species' fertility rate to plummet. Now only one out of a thousand Krogan young were viable, and many female Krogan were entirely infertile due to the genetic alteration.  
  
There was no mistaking the surge of hope he felt in Wrex. "We need this," he said. "We could use this to save my people." He turned his red eyes to Shepard. "We have to find out how they did it."  
  
"I'm not sure we'll have time, Wrex," Shepard replied. "We have to stop Saren. Stopping to ransack his labs could put everything at jeopardy."  
  
Wrex reacted by pulling out his shotgun. "No!" He pointed an angry, clawed finger at her. "You're talking about destroying what may be the last hope of my people for a cure. I can't let that happen!"  
  
"Wrex, the safety of the galaxy is at stake," Shepard insisted.  
  
"I won't let you do it."  
  
And with that, Wrex leveled his shotgun at Shepard. "I won't let you destroy the cure," he vowed.


	3. Chapter 3

All eyes were on Shepard and Wrex, the latter holding his shotgun against the former. Robert reached to his belt for the new lightsaber Lucy made for him, intent on disarming Wrex if he had to. He noticed Ashley quietly reaching for her gun and frowned. He sensed her intent. If Shepard was endangered, she would kill Wrex to stop him.  
  
He sensed the emotions in the other two as well. Wrex was a complicated knot of hope, fear, and anger. The idea of a cure kindled the first of those, the idea of losing it the latter two. Robert couldn't help but feel sympathy for the Krogan's goal.  
  
Shepard… was calm. Like she usually was in a deadly situation. Her green eyes locked onto Wrex's. "I know you want to save your people, Wrex," she said. "I don't blame you for that."  
  
"But you're still going to blow the place up," Wrex said. His gun didn't waver.  
  
"I don't think we have a choice." Shepard shook her head. "Saren's making this army of Krogan to fulfill whatever plan he has, maybe even bringing back the Reapers, the same machines that wiped out the Protheans. He _has_ to be stopped to save the galaxy."  
  
"Haven't we given up enough for this damn galaxy?" Wrex countered. "My people bled and died to stop the Rachni."  
  
"And then you turned on the rest of the galaxy," Kirrahe pointed out. "The genophage was only necessary because of the Krogan Rebellion."  
  
Wrex growled at him. "Without that cure, my people go extinct."  
  
"If Saren wins, we _all_ go extinct, your people too," Shepard retorted. "It's not like he did this for your benefit. You've seen the Krogan in his army, Wrex. You've seen what they're like. They're mindless. Nothing but puppets, they might as well be combat drones. That can't be what you want for your people."  
  
Robert felt the conflicting emotions in Wrex. Even now he couldn't be sure what the Krogan would do. Everyone was waiting to see what Wrex would do, how he would react.   
  
Robert's eyes went over to Ashley, who was stepping closer and closer. He watched as she started to pull her weapon free…  
  
Wrex lowered the gun. "Alright," he said. "You've made your point."  
  
Shepard nodded at him. Her relief was evident. "You're a good man, Wrex," she said. "I don't blame you for wanting to save your people. They still have time."  
  
"If we find the cure, I'm taking it," Wrex informed her, bluntly. "Any problems with that?"  
  
Robert sensed that yes, Garrus and Kirrahe and the other Salarians _did_ have a problem with it.  
  
Shepard, on the other hand, shook her head. "None. As long as you keep your focus on the mission."  
  
"Fine." Wrex stowed his shotgun away at the base of his back.  
  
Ashley put her weapon away as well. There was some relief on her face.  
  
"Alright." Shepard returned her attention to Kirrahe. "We have an operation to plan."  
  
  
  
  
The Geth Prime's weapon was a second away from firing, and Lucy wouldn't be able to stop it.  
  
Even worse, her options were limited. Deflecting the shot could send the plasma into a vital component, damaging the reactor further. Jumping to avoid it might even cause the same - there was machinery behind her - and it would expose her to further fire.  
  
In the instant she had left, Lucy sensed the only way she could make this work. She winced in anticipation as the Geth fired.  
  
Her left hand shot up and caught the shot. The energy within her grabbed the shot, absorbing some of the energy, sloughing it off, weakening it… but not removing it. Enough power remained that it hit her in the palm. Her armor absorbed yet more, but there was still a pain in her hand from what remained of the shot.  
  
Lucy gave a cry of effort and sliced upward and to the side with the lightsaber in her right hand. The blue blade cut through the Geth platform's arms with little effort, disarming the machine. She twirled her hand around, creating a trail of blue light with the blade as she brought it back to bear… and plunged it into the Geth Prime's chest. The machine spat sparks from the damage. It was in no shape to stop her from slicing its head off. With a final spurt of electronic warbling, the Prime collapsed before her.  
  
Lucy glanced toward her left hand. The armor had a partial scorch mark over the palm, showing where the shot had gone through. The Prime's weapon was heavier than other Geth they'd faced. If it had shot her in the head or over the heart…  
  
Lucy forced that possibility from her mind and focused on her work. She extinguished her lightsaber and returned it to her belt, allowing her to use her remaining good hand to operate the fuel line controls. The readout confirmed for her that a broken He-3 line was responsible for the reactor being offline. She bypassed that line with a secondary one and re-initialized the system. He-3 once again flowed into the reactor. It powered up around them.  
  
With her job finished, Lucy pulled her lightsaber back out and rushed to rejoin the others. Running along the right-hand path toward the main control room, she moved over the blackened remnants of several Geth platforms. But she took no fire. In the control center the others were waiting. Liara and Talara were looking over the controls, although Talara was the only one who clearly understood them. "He-3 flow is showing nominal, sir," she said. "The reactor is operating at eighty-percent capacity."  
  
"That's more than enough for the tram system," Lucy noted. "We just need to relink the landlines to the glacier base and we're good to go." She turned her head to face Anders. "Did you get all of the Geth?"  
  
"They retreated when the reactor activated." Inside his face plate, Anders' frown was visible. "We got a lot of them, at least. But now I think we're going to end up leaving another squad behind to cover our rear. I've already got Hutchins moving up to join us."  
  
"Makes sense. With the Geth and Rachni around, we don't want too many groups on their own."  
  
"I'll leave Topa'riy's squad behind to join Hutchins, they'll watch the reactor. The rest of us are moving on." Anders gestured to the others. "Alright Marines, move out!"  
  
"How long will it take you to re-establish the landline?" Liara asked.  
  
"Probably not long. It depends on the damage." Lucy sensed Liara's discomfort and put a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Are you ready?"  
  
"I… I am not sure," Liara admitted. "I haven't seen my mother in so long. We… we did not have a proper farewell last time. We fought. It was very… oh Goddess, what if those are the last words we end up sharing?"  
  
"They won't be, I'm sure of it," Lucy insisted.  
  
Liara nodded, her blue eyes full of tears. Lucy's assurance hadn't done much for her worry, really, but Lucy hoped it was enough.  
  
"Lieutenant, your hand…"  
  
Talara brought Lucy's attention back to her wounded left hand. Now that she paid attention to it, she recalled that yes, it hurt, and it hurt quite a bit. She winced. "I'll be fine." It was clear that Talara didn't quite believe her, but Lucy still forced the wounded look from her face. "I'll get the corpsman to look at it," she said. "For now, we've got more work to do."  
  
Talara nodded and said nothing more as they walked out.  
  
  
  
  
Lorik Qui'in looked up from his liquor as the shadows of Julia and the others appeared over his table. His dark eyes, coal-black, met Julia's. He was of gray complexion, the color of ash, with white facial markings, and dressed in respectable corporate wear for Turians. "I'm afraid I'm not familiar with the United Systems' rank system," he said. "You're a… Colonel?"  
  
"Captain, actually, but you're close enough," Julia replied. "Captain Julia Andreys, commanding officer of the Alliance _Starship Aurora_."  
  
"Right. The naval equivalent of a Colonel." Qui'in took a drink. "What can I do for you, Captain?"  
  
"I'm not sure. We're having problems with Anoleis and we've heard you have them too." Julia was surprised a Turian could snort that derisively. "I'm still trying to understand everything that's going on here."  
  
Suspicion laced the next question. "And what is your interest in Noveria?"  
  
"Binary Helix," Richmond said. "And Matriarch Benezia."  
  
"My security chief, Lieutenant Commander Phryne Richmond," Julia explained as an introduction. "Commander Meridina is my first officer and Lieutenant Angel Delgado is my tactical officer."  
  
"I see. The Matriarch arrived a few days ago with a full escort of Asari commandos and several crates that passed customs."  
  
"Were they disarmed?" Angel asked.  
  
"Yes. But that doesn't do much to reduce the threat of Asari commandos, Lieutenant," Qui'in remarked. "They're all very capable biotics. Anyway, the Matriarch and her entourage left for Peak 15 almost right away. Since then, I've heard the entire research station shut down. A few stragglers arrived but were quickly rushed into isolation by Anoleis."  
  
"We've heard he was bribed by Benezia," Richmond said.  
  
To that Qui'in laughed bitterly. "I wonder how much he took her for. She wouldn't be the only one."  
  
"Oh?" Again Richmond. Julia said nothing, allowing her security chief to direct the interview.  
  
"Ever since he was given control of the office rents, Anoleis has been raising the rates. Unofficially." Qui'in took a drink. "I have the evidence of what he's up to. And here I am, accused of corruption while he has members of security on his payroll ransacking Synthetic Insights looking for where I hid it."  
  
"I see." Richmond glanced toward Julia. "How very naughty."  
  
Julia said nothing. She was thinking of how to turn this to their advantage. If Anoleis was dirty and they found proof… She looked around the table to see if the man that directed them to Qui'in was anywhere, but there was no sign of him. _What is that guy up to? This is what he wants._  
  
"So why are you looking into Binary Helix?" asked Qui'in. "I was surprised myself to see an Asari Matriarch going out there. Usually they don't leave Asari space."  
  
"Matriarch Benezia has been linked a rogue Spectre," Julia replied. "Binary Helix is suspected of being involved in their plans."  
  
"And the Council is letting the United Systems participate in this kind of investigation? Into one of their Spectres? That's odd."  
  
"He's attacked us as well as Council space," Julia replied. "It's a joint investigation."  
  
"I see. And sending you here lets the Council avoid angering all of these corporations. Clever." Qui'in folded his hands on the table. "Allow me to make a guess. Your people have quite a few technological tricks that were not around when Noveria's systems were established years ago. I'm betting you have a team in Peak 15 by now."  
  
"And your point is…?"  
  
"My point is that if Anoleis finds out, your people are in big trouble," said Qui'in. "He'll scramble all of his people in ERCS and go after them. And if the situation in Peak 15 allows, he may just have a battlestation put an antimatter missile into the entire glacier."  
  
"We're trying to get ahold of the Board to overrule him."  
  
Qui'in laughed bitterly. "The Board? Even if they approved you, it doesn't matter. They're not here. Anoleis is. And he's got allies with the Board, and in the other corporations. He'll do as he pleases and justify it later." Qui'in's mandibles twitched. "He's a greedy bastard, but he's not so stupid as to operate like this without support in all of the right places. No, if you want your Alliance to walk away from this cleanly, Anoleis has to go."  
  
"And you believe your evidence is the key?" asked Meridina.  
  
"It is," Qui'in answered. "If you can get into the office and retrieve it."  
  
"Unarmed?"  
  
"As I said, you have technological tricks up your sleeve," said Qui'in. "I'm sure you can manage something."  
  
Julia considered it. The risks were high, if something went wrong, but if it didn't… well, their problems here would be solved. And it was better than risking that Qui'in was right about Anoleis. That he would act on his own and possibly kill their entire team in Peak 15. _The_ Aurora _might not have time to intercept missiles bound for the surface. And the last thing I want is to have to be that blatant…_  
  
"Alright," she said. "We'll see what we can do.  
  
"I'll be here drinking my time away." Qui'in gestured to a waitress to bring another bottle. "It's not like I have anything better to do."  
  
They stepped away from the table. When they were in a corner alone Richmond spoke up. "May I remind you, Captain, that we are unarmed, and Anoleis' security people most definitely are not."  
  
"True. However, we do have an advantage." Julia turned to Meridina.  
  
"I may be able to influence them," she said. "It depends upon their will." Sensing Julia's thought, Meridina frowned. "I am reluctant to attack their minds as you are thinking, however."  
  
"I understand. The _Farisa Geenewt_ , was it? They wouldn't like it."  
  
" _Farisa Genut_ ," corrected Meridina. "And no, they would not. But if it is to save lives… then I will act."  
  
"Then that'll work for me." Julia drew in a breath to steel herself. _This was not what I had in mind when I beamed down_ she thought. "Let's go get some evidence."  
  
  
  
  
It took more time for Lucy and the Marines to kill the Rachni that opposed them than it did for Lucy to restore the landlines to what the systems were calling Rift Station, the underground labs built deep into the glacier. Once they were done the gathered troops made their way to the trams.  
  
After they boarded the trams, Lucy checked the tram recorders' logs. She nodded and approached Anders and Liara. A tap of a key on her omnitool accessed a recording depicting a blue-skinned Asari in a black suit, attended by several Asari in M4P2-standard body armor, aboard the tram. "Benezia is here," she said. "And she hasn't left yet."  
  
"And with Asari commandos." Anders nodded. "I've heard a lot about them."  
  
"They're very good," noted Lucy. "I've fought with a squad before, on New Brittany. We wiped the floor with an SS _Panzergrenadier_ strike team. It's not going to be an easy fight." She noticed the roiling emotion Liara was struggling to contain, hidden behind the distant look in the Asari's eyes. "Are you alright, Doctor?"  
  
"It's been so long since I saw my mother," she said. "And to see her again like… this." Liara reached and gripped, for a moment, her sidearm. "It...I never thought something like this would happen. That she'd accept my career choice and welcome me home."  
  
"You're pretty distant then?"  
  
"Very. Mother never approved of my choice to pursue archaeology." Liara went over and leaned against the side of the tram as it moved through the sub-glacial tunnel. "I was the daughter of a Matriarch. I was supposed to be something more, she thought."  
  
Lucy nodded quietly. She recalled her mother had similar ambitions for her future, if put more gently. "Parents often want the best for their kids."  
  
"I'm not sure that was it. My mother has her pride. She didn't want me 'slumming' across the galaxy from dig to dig. She wants me on Thessia learning how to guide our people."  
  
"In other words, she wants you to be a leader."  
  
"Yes. But that's not what I am, and she couldn't accept it." Tears were forming in Liara's eyes. "I received my doctorate and it still wasn't enough. I don't understand why… why she couldn't accept my choices."  
  
"I'm not sure. You'll have to ask."  
  
Bitterness was the reaction from Liara. "Oh, I have a lot to ask. All of the horrible things Saren's done, how could she be involved in it?"  
  
"We'll find out soon enough," Lucy assured her gently. "I just hope the answers are good."  
  
"So do I."  
  
  
  
  
Shepard, her team, and the Salarian regiment's senior officers gathered around the holo-table and the display of the mapped areas of Saren's base. "There are two approaches we can make. This is the most direct, and the one that will gain the most attention." Kirrahe indicated one area. "The 3rd Regiment can strike here and draw attention. This would allow a small operations team to infiltrate from the base's weak side." He indicated an approach to a small set of buildings, the larger ones beyond it.  
  
"That's where we come in," Shepard said. "I'll take a squad from my team and come in that way."  
  
"We'll need to maintain some kind of coordination to ensure peak operational efficiency," Kirrahe said. "We have no room for errors. Commander, could one of your people join us?"  
  
Shepard was clearly considering it. Instead of her answering, it was Ashley who said, "I can stay with the Salarians and maintain communications, Commander. Plus an extra gun in the firefight won't hurt."  
  
"Agreed, Sergeant."  
  
"What about the base?" Tali asked. "What do we do once we're there?"  
  
"We find out as much about Saren's operations as we can," Shepard replied. "And then we blow the place up."  
  
"To get the entire facility, we'll need a nuke," Kaidan said.  
  
"Assemble one on the _Normandy_ ," Shepard said. "Tali, you'll assist." Shepard put a finger to one location in the base, an aqueduct. "This is a good central location for the explosive. The _Normandy_ can fly you in with it once we shut down the AA guns and secure the area. Then we'll extract both teams and detonate the bomb."  
  
"An excellent operational plan," Kirrahe said. "Allow me to get my men ready."  
  
Shepard nodded. "Let me know when you're ready. The longer we wait, the harder this will be."  
  
"Agreed."  
  
Kaidan and Tali returned to the _Normandy_ \- driving the Mako back into it in the process - leaving the others to follow Shepard outside. "Garrus, Wrex, Robert." She nodded to them in turn. "This isn't going to be an easy fight. We're facing bad odds here."  
  
"Been there, done that," was Wrex's reply. "But remember our deal."  
  
"I do, Wrex," said Shepard. "If we can get any access to the cure, we'll do everything we reasonably can to acquire it."  
  
"But we don't jeopardize the mission," Garrus said.  
  
"You don't have to remind me, Turian," Wrex growled. Robert felt his displeasure at Garrus' remark and Garrus' unease. "I'm going to prep my gear."  
  
"I suggest we all do that," said Shepard. "Meet me back here within half an hour."  
  
Wrex and Shepard started their way back toward the _Normandy_. Robert took a few steps that way before stopping and looking to Garrus. "What's your concern?" he asked. "I can sense you're unhappy."  
  
"The genophage." Garrus turned to face him. "It was either that or exterminating the Krogan. My people chose mercy."  
  
"Or just a prolonged extermination," Robert noted. "The Krogan are dying out."  
  
"That's their fault," Garrus replied. "We didn't sterilize them. We reintroduced a controlling factor into their population, a factor they lost when they left Tuchanka. Without that control, the Krogan were breeding out of control. It's what started the Krogan Rebellion in the first place. A cure for the genophage puts us right back to square one on that."  
  
"Does it?" Robert glanced back toward the _Normandy_ for a moment. "Saving his people doesn't need to become an 'us or them' situation."  
  
"If it's not done right, it will," Garrus warned. "And I don't want that. I just can't help but wonder if we'll all be better off if there's no cure data to recover."  
  
"Maybe, maybe not." Robert shook his head. He had no sense of how this would go. Only the feeling he had that the Krogan shouldn't be allowed to die out. But if curing them actually did lead to violence…  
  
A voice from his past spoke in his head. _No matter how noble or well-intentioned an action can be... the consequence it yields could be disastrous._ About four years had passed since Robert's first meeting with Jean-Luc Picard, since Picard had warned him that "all actions have consequences", and here again that warning echoed inside of him. _Could curing the genophage hurt everyone, even the Krogan, in the long run?_  
  
It was clear to Garrus he was in deep thought on the issue. "You may be right," he said. "Maybe if someone like Wrex leads the Krogan, they can cure the genophage without being a threat. But I'm not sure we should risk the safety of the entire galaxy on one old Krogan mercenary with ideas." Garrus stepped past him. "Anyway, I'd better go check my gear. We've got one hell of a fight ahead."  
  
Robert turned and followed him, still pondering the question. "Yeah," he agreed. "We do."  
  
  
  
  
When the tram stopped the remaining Marines filed out. "Are we leaving anyone behind to watch the tram, sir?" asked Sergeant Coleman.  
  
"No." Anders shook his head. "Between Asari commandos and these damned bugs, I'm not splitting our teams up any further. We'll retake the tram if we need to."  
  
Talara walked up beside Lucy. "I feel… something," she said. "Emptiness. Blind terror and hunger."  
  
"I feel it too," Lucy said. "It might be those bugs." She glanced toward Talara. "How are you feeling, Talara?"  
  
"I am fine. Uncomfortable, perhaps. But I will make it."  
  
"Good. Stick with me, let's go."  
  
They continued on into the station. Signs led them toward the labs and a lift. " _Access denied,_ " the station VI said upon Lucy pressing the plate.  
  
"Can you hack it?"  
  
"Probably." Lucy focused. She felt a pull away from here. "But I think we're supposed to go another way."  
  
"Operational intel or life force stuff?"  
  
"Life force stuff, Major."  
  
Anders nodded. She could sense his instinctive dislike of relying on metaphysics, but their track record was enough to get him to overlook that dislike. At his prompting she moved on to another door. This one opened, revealing a lift. Above the door, a holo-sign depicted a set of bunk beds. "Living quarters," said Anders. "We'll go up first. Coleman, you follow."  
  
"Yes sir."  
  
He joined Lucy, Talara, and Liara on the lift. A couple of the light-armored Marines stepped in last. Lucy held her hand up to the internal panel to her left and the lift activated. They rose to the next level. "Life signs ahead," he noted. "Be ready for an ambush."  
  
With that in mind Lucy stepped up between the Marines and pulled her lightsaber back out. As the door opened she ignited it and walked toward.  
  
There were indeed armed guards on the other end, hiding behind cover. Multiple weapons focused on her. She kept her lightsaber ready but made no hostile move. "We're Human!" she called out. "You're safe!"  
  
A tense moment came while the Marines behind her stepped out. Lucy sensed the uncertainty of the guards. How were they supposed to deal with this? They had unauthorized visitors, but at the same time they were already fighting for their lives and shooting their best chance of escape was clearly inadvisable. She was relieved to sense the white-armored man in the middle ease up. "Hold fire!" he shouted. Looking directly at Lucy he said, "Sorry. It's been nothing but bugs for days. Who are you?"  
  
"Lieutenant Lucy Lucero, United Systems. The _Starship Aurora_." Lucy stepped to the side and allowed Anders to be the one to approach. "And Major Gabriel Anders, _Aurora_ 's Marine Commander."  
  
"Captain Ventralis, Elanus Risk Control Services, Binary Helix detachment," he answered. "Normally I'd not be happy to see people like you down here, but with those damn bugs running around, I've got other things to worry about."  
  
"How long has this been going on?" Anders asked. "You look like you've got a stable position."  
  
"The bugs broke out about a week ago," answered Ventralis. "Before we knew what hit us, they killed a bunch of the scientists and some of my men. We were able to fall back to this area of the living spaces and hold a perimeter. We still have some supplies to last us."  
  
"Anyone to tend to wounded?"  
  
"There's a doctor downstairs for that."  
  
Anders nodded. "Where are these things coming from, anyway?"  
  
"The Hot Labs below us." Ventralis frowned. "Damned eggheads are responsible for this whole mess. Whatever they've got down there got loose. And they keep…"  
  
Lucy felt the sense of danger in time. She turned as the clattering in the floor reached a crescendo and brought her weapon up. A number of the bugs started to emerge. She sensed mindless fear in them, an emptiness that spawned their terror and violence.  
  
"Open fire!" Anders and Ventralis cried in unison. Weapons snapped into place and the bugs came under withering pulse and mass effect fire. One lunged through the killzone at them. Lucy raised a hand and sent the creature flying back toward the others, where the continuing fire ripped into it until it too lay still.  
  
Once the shooting was over, Anders turned back to Ventralis. "I have a couple of squads of Marines on hand. Is there anything we can do to stop these things at the source?"  
  
"Supposedly there's the neutron purge," said Ventralis. "Like a neutron bomb. It'll wipe out every living thing down in the labs. Tartakovsky, one of our project directors, has the codes to initiate it. But I'm not sending my people down there, Major, and you shouldn't either."  
  
"A risk I'm willing to take," Anders said. He glanced toward Lucy, who was examining Ventralis carefully. "We should go down there and see if we can set off the purge."  
  
Ventralis noticed Lucy's interest. It clearly disquieted him. "What is it?" he asked.  
  
Lucy said nothing at first. When she spoke, it was with another question. "Where is Benezia?"  
  
"Further in the lab. She's been in there for a while."  
  
"We need to see her."  
  
"You can wait if you want."  
  
Something about the answer made Lucy feel something was off. A tinge off deception behind straight truth. She glanced toward Anders. Anders responded with a small frown. "Excuse me," he said to Ventralis before following Lucy well out of earshot. "What is it?"  
  
"There's more to this," Lucy said. "I feel like he wants us to go to the Hot Labs. A reason he's not telling us."  
  
"Even so, we can't focus on Benezia if these bugs are always behind us. They're our priority right now. If we wipe them out we get a free hand to face Benezia's forces with our full strength."  
  
Lucy understood his reason. But she sensed something bad about this approach. Something would go wrong.  
  
"Give me a minute," she said.  
  
Anders responded with an impatient look, but said nothing.  
  
Taking that as permission, Lucy walked back up to Ventralis. "Captain, a moment of your time."  
  
"Lieutenant?" He looked at her. Lucy felt a tinge of uncertainty and hid a smile from it. Over the two years since the first contact between M4P2 and the Multiverse, the existence of the Order of Swenya and similar organizations certainly spread enough so corporate security officers might at least be familiar with their reputations and the idea of their existence. She felt skepticism and concern inside of that uncertainty.  
  
"I have a question for you," she said calmly, hiding a grin. "Has Matriarch Benezia given you any orders about anyone following her down here?"  
  
He gave her a blank look. "I operate under standing orders about anyone coming down here."  
  
It was an evasion. Lucy responded by continuing, "So she hasn't, say, encouraged you to send us to the Hot Labs in the hope we get killed?" Sensing Ventralis' likely reaction, and the emotion behind it, she continued, "Or has she given any orders about the other survivors?"  
  
"None ma'am."  
  
It was a lie. Lucy sensed that deception immediately. It confirmed her suspicions. She looked back to Anders and matched eyes with him. Through his faceplate she could see his face was neutral. Irritated a little, but he was hiding it well.  
  
She sensed the intent just in time. She brought her hand up as her finger hit the button on her lightsaber. It flashed alive with a snap-hiss. Her feet were pivoting as she whirled about, her robes whirling with her.  
  
Ventralis screamed in shock as his hands fell away from his wrists, reduced to cauterized stumps. The weapon he was raising to shoot her in the back fell as well.  
  
The armed ERCS guards raised their weapons to defend their commander. Lucy lifted a hand and pulled her arm back toward herself. One guard went flying, yelling in shock as he did, and moments later slammed into his ally. The Turian and Human fell in a pile together.  
  
Ventralis looked up at her. He held up his stump-tipped arms as if he would try to grip her robe if he still had hands. "Witch!" he shouted, although Lucy could sense he'd intended a different first letter.  
  
"Knight," she corrected. "I'm a Life Force Knight. And you're under orders to kill the scientists and get anyone from the Alliance or the Citadel killed if they show up. And don't bother lying because I'll know." She didn't glance back toward Anders. She didn't need to in order to know he was not very happy with her at the moment.  
  
"Shepard," Ventralis finally hissed. "Or anyone from the _Aurora_. Benezia's orders. Please, it's… we're under contract."  
  
"And that justifies killing innocent people?"  
  
"Innocent? Like hell!" Ventralis spat. "Those damned scientists killed some of my people with their Goddamned bugs!"  
  
"And so you're going to slaughter them." Lucy narrowed her eyes and frowned. "Yeah. An order from you? Don't lie, I can sense it."  
  
Ventralis snarled in frustration and pain. "No. Other way. It's a dead man switch scenario. If I or my second-in-command don't send the order every half hour, the culling begins."  
  
"How long until you send it again?"  
  
"Ten… ten minutes."  
  
"Your second in command?"  
  
"Off-duty. Getting some sleep."  
  
Lucy nodded. Beside her Anders' Marines were securing the other two guards. "Well, you're going to send the order to stand down the kill order permanently."  
  
"You cut off my hands!" Ventralis wailed. "How am I supposed to use the comms?!"  
  
"Oh please." Lucy rolled her eyes. "Your omnitool has voice activation, doesn't it? Maybe even neural activation. Use that to activate your comms."  
  
Ventralis glared hate at her. He looked over to Anders, as if to plead for him to come to his aid. He was a fellow Marine, so to speak, could he take command over his subordinate navy puke with her witch powers and her energy blade and get her to back off?  
  
"Do as the Lieutenant instructs, Captain, and I'll have my corpsman put your hands in bio-stasis fields," Anders said. "A surgeon can reattach them."  
  
Ventralis sighed. "Open command comm," he said aloud. His omnitool activated. "Everyone, this is Captain Ventralis, stand down reserve order, authorization Bravo Zulu Zulu Kilo Echo. We have friendly reinforcements on site. I say again, stand down reserve order and maintain normal patrol."  
  
One by one, there were check-ins from the others, confirming the stand down.  
  
"We've still got to do something about the damn bugs," Ventralis insisted to them once the line closed.  
  
"We are." Anders looked at Coleman. "Coleman, secure these people, and detach a squad to hold this position and keep watch. Where's our corpsman?"  
  
"Here sir," chirped a young Alakin female.  
  
"Get this man's hands into a bio-stasis field right away. Tend to him and his troops."  
  
"Yes sir." The Alakin, her violet plumage and mottled blue skin visible through the faceplate of her helmet, moved forward to follow her orders.  
  
"Now we're down to just one squad to face Benezia and whatever troops she's got with her," Anders pointed out to Lucy. "Not to mention those bugs in the Hot Labs. We have to deal with them first. If they hit with a big push…"  
  
"I don't think so. They're too mindless for a swarm attack like that. Benezia should be our focus."  
  
"She's been here a day, and we have people on the other end of the tram to keep her here, Lieutenant," Anders said. "She's not getting away."  
  
"She's a powerful biotic with a team of them, and I've seen Asari commandos rip through SS _Panzergrenadiers_ like they were nothing," Lucy countered.  
  
"Alliance Marines are _better_ than SS troops."  
  
"Not that much better."  
  
There was silence in the room. Anders and Lucy wouldn't look away from each other. Each was convinced they were right. That the other had the wrong priorities.  
  
"What if Lieutenant Lucero, Ensign Talara, and I went to confront my mother?" Liara asked. "While you deal with the rachni in the Hot Labs?"  
  
"With all due respect, Doctor, that's a foolhardy idea," Anders said. "Splitting our forces up allows for us to get defeated in detail. As it is I've only one squad left for the Hot Labs because Lieutenant Lucero acted to provoke Ventralis."  
  
"If we'd come out of the Hot Labs alive, he'd have started the culling," Lucy replied. "I was saving lives."  
  
"And acting without orders. I'll remind you, Lieutenant, _I'm_ in charge of this mission."  
  
"That's the problem, then? I didn't give it away by consulting you first?" Lucy frowned. "Major, I'm not out to undermine you…"  
  
"Funny thing to say, since you ignore my orders whenever we're on an op." Anders shook his head. "Whatever this life force stuff is, Lieutenant, it doesn't mean you do whatever you want when you want. I need to know what you're doing so I can act myself and keep my Marines alive."  
  
"You must think pretty lowly of me, Major, to think I'll get your people killed," Lucy countered. "Your predecessor gave me more trust."  
  
"Commander Kane's a good Marine, but I'm not him," Anders replied. "You want my trust? You've got to trust me too, including trusting my orders. Now, before we waste more time and let more of those bug things show up… we're off to the Hot Labs. _All_ of us. And that, Lieutenant, is a direct order. Will you or will you not follow it?"  
  
Lucy took in a breath and focused on the Flow of Life. The quiet question _What will happen?_ passed through her and into the Flow. She felt herself briefly wander, searching for the answer to her question. If she defied Anders, would things be better? Worse? Was he right?  
  
Much to her aggravation, this was one of those cases where the future was too nebulous to sense even an inkling of the better path. She had to rely solely on herself for the choice.  
  
"Lieutenant?"  
  
Lucy sighed. "Yes, sir," she said. "I'm ready when you are."  
  
Lucy gave Anders credit. He didn't glory in it and he didn't rub it in. A slight sense of satisfaction was the only feeling he gave on his success in winning the argument by right of rank. "Fall out, Marines," he said, with everyone not remaining behind immediately heading for the lift.  
  
  
  
  
Armed with nothing but their courage, wit, and the telepathic and life force powers of one of their number, the four ladies from the _Aurora_ waited patiently for the glass pane-covered lift to deposit them in the private offices leased to Synthetic Insights. "So, Meridina mind-whammies them, and if it doesn't work…"  
  
"...we start punching and praying," Julia sighed, answering Angel's inquiry.  
  
"You pray, I punch," was her reaction.  
  
"I sense their minds above," Meridina said.  
  
"Anyone have a good lie to make up?" asked Angel.  
  
"We'll have to think of something on the fly." Julia's reply proved immediately true, as the lift came to a stop and the doors opened, admitting them to their destination. They walked ahead until a pair of armed guards moved to intercept them. "Halt," one said. "This office is off-limits by order of Administrator Anoleis."  
  
Meridina stepped forward and waved a hand over them, a focusing gesture to help her goal. Using only her _swevyra_ \- not her telepathic powers - she pressed her will against theirs. "You have been relieved from duty. It is time to rest."  
  
The guards looked at each other blanky. "We've been relieved," said the same guard. "Time for a break."  
  
"Yeah."  
  
And with that, the two guards walked past them to the lift.  
  
"Scanners show nobody else here," Richmond said after consulting her omnitool. "We're clear for the moment."  
  
"Let us continue," said Meridina. "We have little time."  
  
  
  
  
One of the things Robert learned early into his "post-Facility" life was that plans never went quite according to plan.  
  
Gunfire echoed from the walkways of the approaches to Saren's base. Ahead of them, and behind, Geth and Krogan were attempting to box Shepard's team in. Garrus was busy covering the rear, rising from cover and firing quick, lethal shots from his sniper rifle. Wrex was on the flank facing a shallow streambed, using his rifle for much the same purpose.  
  
If they weren't so hard pressed Robert imagined Shepard would have already rocketed ahead on a trail of biotic light. Instead she was likewise engaging with an assault rifle, a semi-automatic Valkyrie model made specifically for N7 special forces Marines like Shepard. Unlike the Avenger rifle in Garrus' hands, this one sacrificed automatic rate of fire for accuracy.  
  
Robert had a pulse pistol, as usual, and he was firing shots from it here and there. But right now he was relying on life force attacks. He felt the connection to the wider universe through the Flow of Life and used it to full effect, sending Krogan and Geth alike flying whenever one threatened Shepard with gunfire.  
  
" _Commander, we've got aerial drones conducting airstrikes on our positions_ ," Ashley said over their tac-comms. " _They look like short-range models, not a lot of fuel. I'm thinking there's a fuel depot near you, if you can take it out…_ "  
  
"I agree," Shepard said. Slivers of metal pinged off the cover over their heads. She glanced toward Robert. "I know you're trying to be careful, but they won't last long under air strikes."  
  
"Yeah." He knew what Shepard meant. "Cover me."  
  
Shepard nodded and leaned out of cover. Her gun thundered, two rapid pops in a row with each pull of the trigger. He heard a yell of pain from a Krogan. She'd scored a hit.  
  
Now it was his turn.  
  
Robert took in a breath and reached within himself. As he always did in these moments, he thought back to his training in the remote Gersallian monastery of Umintamil. _Mastrash_ Kilaba's face filled his mind, her quiet, bemused look whenever they had training exercises, her words about controlling the power of his being, of what the Gersallians called _swevyra_.  
  
When he rolled out of cover, Robert let loose with the power in question. There was so much of it now, far beyond what he'd known when training with Meridina. It threatened to come loose from his grip. But he held on tightly and directed it forward, against the enemies ahead. He saw them in the Flow of Life, the artificial life of the Geth and the mindless programmed life of the Krogan, and he felt a revulsion in the Flow, pulsing from that sliver of cold death he'd felt within it after the attack on Adrana. As if the two were linked…  
  
Not that it mattered right now. Right now he had to use this power to fight, and he did. He felt stone rip from the steep rock ridges carved by the ancient waters of Virmire over the eons, stone that at his will went flying into Geth to smash them. Solid force sent Krogan flying in defiance of their protective particle barriers. Without thinking his hand slipped to his belt and retrieved the cylindrical shape of Lucy's handiwork that hung there. His thumb found the activation trigger and an emerald blade surged from the weapon with an electronic snap and lingering hiss. His arm moved of its own volition and the blade struck incoming fire. A plasma burst from a Geth gun instead found a Krogan. The bullets of the Krogan weapons went flying off, chipping away sand and rock instead. And with every move of his left hand, energy surged from within him and another enemy was struck down.  
  
Their fire relented. Now it was Shepard's turn. Her Valkyrie was exchanged for the Crusader shotgun, the same she'd used at Gamma Piratus. Dark blue light covered her and with a surge of dark matter she shot forward. She slammed into a large Geth platform, throwing it off-balance and disrupting its protective particle barrier, and fired her shotgun directly into what passed for its chin. The solid slug of the weapon ripped through metal flesh and wiring, nearly severing the flashlight head of the Geth. It fell over.  
  
Shepard immediately pivoted. Dark matter gathered at her arm in the seconds before she threw the arm out. A shockwave of biotic power rippled along the ground and threw a pair of Geth from their cover. Robert reached up with his hand and pulled down, a gesture that focused his power and the straining control holding it to the task of ripping a large chunk of stone from the pale beige ridge above them. The stone crushed the two Geth platforms, which writhed under it like shattered insects until they grew still.  
  
He felt the next shot coming a moment before it did and his new lightsaber intercepted it. The offending Krogan never had a chance to fire again. Shepard slammed into him with another biotic charge and blew his armored head open with her weapon.  
  
Their attack served to break through the enemy line. With Wrex and Garrus holding the rear, they advanced to a circular platform near the edge of the base, nestled between the ridges. A series of tanks were present and drones were in the air around it, some latching on to refuel. A couple turned toward them. Weapons swiveled to lock on.  
  
Shepard fired first, a miss due to the target drone making a quick evasion.  
  
What it couldn't evade was Robert's abilities. He gripped the drone with invisible force and sent it flying into another drone and the attached tank. The impact severed the fuel line.  
  
At that point Shepard fired again.  
  
Even at the relative distance they were at, the resulting fireball baked their skin. Further explosions went off as the destruction rippled through the fueling area, rending drone and fuel tank alike, bursts of flame and smoke rising into the sky until the last blast faded into the flickering of the remaining flames.  
  
"Aerial drone refueling site down," Shepard said into the tac-comm.  
  
" _We can see the flames from here, Commander_." This time the reply was from Kirrahe. " _Thank you. We're still under heavy fire, but we've diverted many of their troops._ "  
  
"Thanks. We're on our way to the target."  
  
"Shepard, look at this."  
  
At Garrus' request, she looked to the amber light of his omnitool displaying sensor data. "Life signs. Salarian?"  
  
"Just ahead, in one of the buildings," Garrus said. "Probably some of Kirrahe's."  
  
"If we can get them out, we will." Shepard raised her shotgun to a ready position. "Let's push on." She started moving at a brisk pace back toward Saren's main base. The others, without a word, fell in behind her.


	4. Chapter 4

The last of the Geth blocking the way to the cell blocks fell to the ground. Sparking came from the wounds in its silvery body, courtesy of Shepard's shotgun. "Clear!" she called out.  
  
"Clear!" Garrus echoed, sweeping this rifle around.  
  
Robert called the same next, followed by Wrex after he inspected one of Saren's Krogan with an angry eye. The dead Krogan had a burned hole through his head from Robert's weapon. Robert could sense this anger was not directed at him but at Saren.  
  
They moved into the next room and headed down a ramp to a line of cells. There was movement in one. They stepped up and found five Salarians gathered in one, each in the field uniform of an STG member. One Salarian, with reddish coloring, stepped up to the particle barrier that held them in the cell. "Who are you?"  
  
"Reinforcements." Shepard put a hand on the control panel beside the barrier. The barrier disappeared. "I'm Commander Shepard, a Spectre."  
  
"Ah, yes, I have heard of you. Lieutenant Patak Wijas, STG 3rd Regiment."  
  
"They took you alive?" Garrus asked. "What for?"  
  
"Experimentation, I believe," Wijas replied. His eyes blinked. "At least six of our number have already been removed. None have returned."  
  
"Right. We'll see if we can find them too."  
  
"Thank you, Commander."  
  
"You'd better get going," Robert said. "We're planning on setting off a nuke soon."  
  
"I see."  
  
"There are some dead Krogan and Geth in the storage chamber we left to get here, they still have intact firearms you can use to defend yourselves," Shepard explained. "Just in case you run into trouble on your way back to base."  
  
"Understood, Commander. Good luck in finding my men, and again, thank you." Wijas looked back to the others. "Alright everyone, fall in!"  
  
After the Salarians left, Shepard had an unmistakably pensive look on her face. "Experiments," she murmured. "What is Saren doing?"  
  
"I bet we'll hate finding out" Garrus said.  
  
"Either way, we press on." With that declaration from Shepard, they continued through the base.  
  
  
  
  
The lift to the Hot Labs came to a stop. Lucy was the first out, the Marines behind her with Liara and Talara mixed in with them. "I sense them," Talara said. She looked pained. "Mindless with fear. Something's wrong, very wrong. There is no… _song_?"  
  
"Probably a result of how they were created," Anders remarked. "Alright Marines, heads on a swivel. This is bug central."  
  
"Sir yes sir!" was the echoed response.  
  
The lift exit led them to what looked to be an observation room. Sealed exits led out of it to either side. Laying on the floor near a fallen chair was a Human male of fair complexion and, quite obviously, a missing left leg. He looked toward them when they came in and spoke with an accent. "You… you are not with ERCS."  
  
"United Systems Marines," Anders answered. "Major Gabriel Anders, Commander of Marine Troops for the _Starship Aurora_."  
  
"I am Yaroslev Tartakovsky, director of research for Binary Helix. I will not ask why it is you have come. The important thing is that we set off the neutron purge."  
  
"Can we?"  
  
"Yes. But I will need your help. My leg…" He gestured toward the stump.  
  
Lucy looked it over. A tourniquet around the stump of thigh was preventing further bleeding. It was, regardless, not a pretty sight at at all. She winced at it, realizing the leg hadn't been sliced off so much as ripped off. And it certainly explained the pain she sensed in him.  
  
"There is a VI terminal in the monitoring room behind me," he said. "We must access it and give the codes for the neutron purge. I will need help."  
  
"Talara, Liara, can you help him up?"  
  
The two stepped up and helped the man to his remaining foot. His face remained pale. "Hold on," Talara urged. "It won't be long."  
  
As they walked into the next room, Lucy felt the attack coming. "Incoming Major!" she shouted.  
  
"We're on it. Get that damn system going!" was the response.  
  
Tartakovsky groaned as Liara and Talara guided him toward the control room. Lucy stood by the entrance and pulled her weapon from her belt.  
  
When the Rachni came, it was through the floor grating. They spilled out and were immediately met with fire from the Marines. Insectoid screeches filled the air, cries of pain and fear and anger, and they kept coming.  
  
One bug that got past the gunfire went for the door. Lucy intercepted it and slashed with her weapon. The blade passed cleanly through one of the long tentacles of the Rachni, slicing the clawed appendage free of the body. The Rachni screeched at its mutilation. The other claw came for her, aimed at her head. Lucy moved to the side to evade it and swung her weapon again, severing the other limb. She twirled the lightsaber and drove it into the Rachni's head, killing it instantly.  
  
Most of the Rachni were not interested in the door, merely in the closest foe. They pressed the Marines on all sides. Their chance to overwhelm them was significantly reduced thanks to Anders' use of the heavy armor squad, and the flexible weapons built into their arms. Instead of a standard automatic rifle weapon, they swapped to a flamethrower. White-hot flames fanned out and burned Rachni until they retreated or, more often, collapsed in near-death.  
  
With her back to the door, Lucy contributed to the fight with warnings and, increasingly, the use of her abilities. She sent Rachni threatening Marine flanks flying into each other and the walls, giving time for the Marines to mow them down.  
  
She turned to see Liara and Talara return with Tartakovsky. He was sweating from how much pain he was in. And, she felt, from fear too. "The purge is set to go off in less than three minutes," he shouted. "We must go!"  
  
"Time to go!" she shouted to the Marines in turn.  
  
"Marines, fall back to the lift station!"  
  
"I have unlocked the cargo lift," said Tartakovsky. "we have room for everyone."  
  
Whether or not the Rachni knew what was about to happen, their attack didn't let up. To clear the way for the wounded, Lucy pushed her abilities to their limit. She reached through the Flow of Life, channeled it into herself, and as focus pushed her arms forward. Her energy resonated with that physical movement and flew outward. It took control to keep the energy from lashing out everywhere, focusing the burst entirely on the Rachni.  
  
The force threw them into the walls of the control room and away from the Marines. They hit with enough force that most were injured simply from the impact.  
  
Talara and Liara moved ahead, carrying Tartakovsky along as quickly as they could, heedless of his pained winces. Lucy followed behind them, arms spread, invisible force keeping the Rachni in place. The Marines poured fire into the new arrivals as they came up through the grate.  
  
Once Talara and Liara were through the door with Tartakovsky, Lucy released the Rachni and ran ahead to join the Marines, forming a half circle around the entrance. One by one they withdrew, stepping backwards toward the door to keep their guns firing on Rachni. Lucy waited at the door and gathered her will for another wave. As soon as Anders came through she threw out another wave of force. Control for this one was unnecessary. The only thing it could hit was Rachni. Hit them it did, sending them flying into each other or the walls and windows, one even going through the far door. Once this breathing space was achieved Anders and Lucy retreated through the door. Lucy raised a hand and moved it to the side. Through her power she gripped the door and it moved in sympathy with her hand, closing shut.  
  
"To the lifts, now!" Anders shouted.  
  
"One hundred seconds until neutron purge!" Tartakovsky yelled.  
  
At the lifts, everyone piled into the heavy cargo elevator. It shut behind Lucy and Anders. With Talara providing him support, Tartakovsky triggered the lift to rise. Nobody spoke until after they heard a muffled blast from below. Tartakovsky examined his omnitool readings. "The purge is complete," he said. "All Rachni life signs are gone."  
  
"Excellent news." Anders looked him over. "We'll get you some medical attention in the barracks area."  
  
"Can you explain what's going on here?" Lucy asked.  
  
"Someone found a derelict Rachni vessel. Eggs aboard from Rachni Queen, one was in effective cryo-stasis," he explained. "We were going to clone it. Make specialized troops for environments hostile to Human life. But we found out the egg was for Rachni Queen. She hatched."  
  
"Are you telling me there's a Rachni _Queen_ in this lab?!" Liara asked, horrified.  
  
" _Da._ Yes. Rachni Queen on upper level. For Matriarch Benezia to examine."  
  
"So what, you created eggs of normal drones from her DNA?"  
  
"No. Rachni Queen is born pregnant. Like fuzzy creature from… what universe is it? S5T3? Little furball, goes 'coo'? Tribble. Rachni Queen like Tribble. She carries paternal DNA to make her first batches of eggs. Evolutionary adaptation."  
  
"So just one Rachni Queen could conceivably restart the species," Talara said.  
  
"Yes. We took her first generation of eggs, planned to program biologically into soldiers. Separated them from mother. This was a bad mistake. It is why they went berserk. They need mother early in life according to data."  
  
"It explains the sense we get from them."  
  
"This is all well and good, Lieutenant, but I'm more interested in Benezia," Anders said.  
  
"Benezia is dangerous. Has war drones of some kind with her, and many trained Asari Commandos. They are guarding her now. If you fight her, you will be cornered and killed."  
  
"How many ways are there into her lab? Where the Rachni Queen is?"  
  
"Three," Tartakovsky replied. "Lower level maintenance entrance, main entrance off of barracks hall, and emergency exit near tram."  
  
"The latter could be overridden with time," Lucy advised Anders. "But maybe too much time. Benezia has to know something's up now."  
  
"Agreed," said Anders.  
  
"And she may have more ERCS personnel with her commandos and Geth too."  
  
"Also agreed."  
  
Lucy nodded. "So what I was going to recommend is that you take the main entrance and pin down her troops. This will let Liara, Talara, and I go through the maintenance entrance. We can confront Benezia alone. Maybe even reason with her."  
  
For a moment she thought Anders would refuse her, and they might have another fight. He was clearly calculating possibilities. As the lift began to slow and come to a stop, he finally nodded. "A good plan," he said. "That way she's pinned in too. Let me get my squads together and we'll get started."  
  
Lucy nodded. "Be careful with the Commandos. Their biotics make them a major threat even to armored troops."  
  
"We'll be careful," Anders assured her. They stepped out of the lift together. "Let's go get Mister Tartakovsky some medical attention and get this show on the road."  
  
  
  
  
The office of Lorik Qui'in was surprisingly well-kept for a place that had been searched for a hidden data disc. There was still something of a Spartan look to it, which - she supposed - fit Turian mentalities.  
  
"Not much of a decorator," Richmond observed while examining a shelf.  
  
Angel looked up from where she was scanning the wall. "I'm not finding any hidden safes or anything."  
  
"That would be too obvious," Richmond said. "I would assume a more subtle method of hiding the evidence."  
  
"That does seem to be the nature of this world." Meridina inspected the desk. "Everywhere we have been, I can sense the secrecy, the deception. This is a dangerous world."  
  
Julia glanced back out the door. "It doesn't surprise me." She felt her mind wander back to her concerns about the Marines. How were things going in Peak 15? "Anything?"  
  
Angel looked at what seemed to be a wall safe. "Too obvious?"  
  
"Too obvious," Richmond agreed. She was already intent upon the holo-projector for the desk computer system. The others looked her way while she ran her hands over it. Her fingers seemed to find purchase on the base. With a determined look on her face Richmond pulled. The plate she was gripping came away, revealing the internal of the base. It was a small space. After Richmond put her hand in and pulled it out, her fingers were wrapped around a small circular object, barely two inches in circumference. She held her omnitool up to it. "Encryption. Very good encryption."  
  
"That must be it," Julia said.  
  
"I would say so." Richmond tapped at her omnitool. "I'm copying the data to our omnitools now. Each of us will have a piece. Just in case."  
  
"A good idea Commander." Meridina looked relieved. "We need to go."  
  
"Is something wrong?" Julia asked her.  
  
"I sense something… nebulous in the Flow of Life," Meridina admitted. "It may simply be the nature of this world and the experiments conducted here. Or it may be something worse. Either way, I fear we may be in danger."  
  
"Let's get this to Qui'in."  
  
Richmond stuck the disc in her uniform trouser's pocket and the four walked out of the office. They followed the pathway to an area of communal tables and barely made it past the first before armed and armored figures rounded the stairs ahead. A blond Caucasian woman led them, a fierce look in her dark eyes. All were clad in the body armor of an ERCS guard. "I'm Sergeant Kaira Stirling, ERCS. And you are all under arrest."  
  
"On what grounds?" Julia asked. "We have authorization to be here."  
  
"Only Administrator Anoleis can authorize anyone to enter this office," Stirling responded. "And I know you don't have it. Now place your hands on your head…" She raised her pistol. "...and if you resist, I'll shoot every last one of you."  
  
  
  
  
It wasn't hard for Shepard's team to follow the base's internal corridors to find the labs. They came around a corner and found the first chamber, a receiving chamber of sorts with a few pieces of examination hardware. Nearby a transparent door covered a cell with four Salarians inside. They were dressed the same as the last group.  
  
But Robert felt something wrong that wasn't with the others.  
  
"What do you want? I told you everything," one of them said, his voice strained. His dark eyes locked onto Shepard. "Wait. You're Alliance, aren't you? I knew someone would come. Someone would get us out. It told me nobody would come. It tried to break me. But I shut it out."  
  
Robert glanced toward Shepard with undisguised worry. She noticed it but looked back to the Salarians. "You're with the 3rd Regiment?"  
  
"Private Menos Avot of the 3rd Regiment STG, ma'am. Captured while on reconnaissance five days ago. Glad to help, ma'am." The Salarian's voice gained an angry tone. "Five days of nothing from these bastards. Just whispers and poking and cutting. I'd do anything to get out and give some payback."  
  
"What did they do to you?" Garrus asked.  
  
"Experiments. Testing. Seeing the effect of the whispering on my shortening temper!" The Salarian gripped his fists. "Whispering is loud, you know! And I can't take it anymore! I'd do anything to make it go away!"  
  
"Something's not right about this," Wrex grumbled.  
  
"Whatever Saren did to them, we can't just leave them," Garrus said. "Otherwise they're as good as dead."  
  
Shepard nodded at their arguments. She looked to Robert next, to see if he had anything to add. For the moment, he didn't. He was too busy focusing on the Salarians' mental state. Most of them felt… empty. A chill came to him at the realization they were just as empty as the Krogan soldiers under Saren's authority. But Avot was different. There was something more in him, a subtle sense of wrongness. Something was twisting him. Breaking him.  
  
The closer Robert examined them, the more he felt sick. There was a malicious influence on Avot and the others that Robert couldn't grasp, but he could see how it was corrupting Avot.  
  
"This isn't just drugs or brainwashing," Robert said. "This is… this is more. It's a corruption of being. I can feel it twisting his mind. Corrupting what he is. Just as it destroyed the others."  
  
"Are they a danger to us?"  
  
Robert shrugged. "I...I don't think so. At least not now."  
  
"Then I'm not leaving them to die." Shepard reached for the door control. "Not without giving them a shot." When the door opened she said, "Get out of here. This entire place will go up."  
  
"Yes! Good! It will go boom, all boom, no more whispering! The whispers still aren't going away, they just want me to…" Avot shook his fists. "You! You can make the whispers go away! They whisper because you're here! If you're gone, they'll stop! The only way they'll stop is if you're dead!" Avto promptly charged at Shepard.  
  
But he never got to her. Wrex blew a hole through the Salarian's chest with a single shot. Seeing the dead Salarian, the only thing Shepard could say was, "Damn."  
  
"What about the rest?" Wrex asked.  
  
"They're not going anywhere. The bomb will catch them." Shepard didn't seem happy. "Just what the hell is Saren doing here?!"  
  
"Something that is inherently corrupting." Robert felt a chill in his very being. "Whatever it is, it's malevolent." He walked over to one of the work stations. A tap of a key brought up a screen. There was only one ongoing file he could read. "Indoctrination," he murmured. "It's some kind of effect that Saren's using on his followers. To keep them loyal."  
  
"Like Shiala said." Shepard shook her head. "Let's keep going. I want to blow this place sky high."  
  
  
  
  
A cavern cut through the glacier acted as the maintenance access for the upper lab. Walking through it was an exercise in nerves for Lucy, Liara, and Talara. "Goddess, how many kilos of ice and stone are above our heads?" Liara wondered aloud.  
  
"More than I am comfortable with," Talara admitted.  
  
"I find your nervousness distracting," Lucy mumbled to them.  
  
"Sorry, Lieutenant," replied Talara.  
  
" _Group A to B, we have engaged, repeat, we have engaged_ ," Anders' voice said.  
  
"Roger that, Major," Lucy replied. "At least this way we'll only be facing Benezia."  
  
" _Good luck, Lieutenant._ " Before the channel cut, Lucy could make out the warping sound of a biotic field being generated. Anders was in for a tough fight.  
  
For a moment she glanced back to Liara. She sensed the growing tension inside the Asari archaeologist and knew their fight would, in a way, be no less difficult. Especially for Liara.  
  
  
  
  
A firefight broke out as soon as Shepard's unit reached the labs. Geth and Krogan fought back hard. Wrex grunted from a bullet embedding itself in his arm while he moved to cover. Robert came to his assistance by projecting force into the offending Geth, sending it flying into the wall with enough energy to critically damage it. Wrex finished it off with a shotgun blast.  
  
As usual, Shepard was in the thick of things. A biotic charge into range was followed by a shotgun blast to the throat that killed a Krogan. Her gun roared again, the slug coring the chest area of a Geth platform, and a biotic shockwave knocked the damaged platform over and threw one of the scientists against the wall. Another tried to shoot Shepard from behind only to get a bullet to his head for the trouble, courtesy of Garrus.  
  
The firefight lasted ten seconds. When it was over, Robert quickly realized they weren't alone. He marched over, pulse pistol in hand, and directed it toward the cowering form of the last surviving scientist, an Asari. "Up," he said.  
  
"Don't kill me. Look, I was a prisoner here too!" The Asari rose to her feet. "Saren hired me for a neurological analysis experiment and refused to let me leave!"  
  
"Who are you?" Shepard asked.  
  
"Doctor Rana Thanoptis," the woman replied. "I'm a neurospecialist. Saren tricked me into coming here and has me researching indoctrination."  
  
"That was the file we found back with that Salarian," Garrus noted.  
  
"Yes. The test subject. And not the first. Saren's been investigating it for months," Thanoptis said. "He's still exploring the limits and mechanisms of the effect."  
  
"And yet he was able to use it on an Asari matriarch, among others," Shepard said.  
  
"So you're saying Saren himself doesn't know the full extent of this capability?" Robert asked.  
  
"No, not at all," Thanoptis answered. "Wherever he got it from, Saren still doesn't know the full extent of how it works. Honestly, I think he's more afraid of it than interested in its limits."  
  
"So if he didn't develop it, where did he get it? That big superdreadnought he attacked Eden Prime with?"  
  
In reply to Shepard, Thanoptis shrugged. "I'm not sure. My inquiries were always met with resistance. Saren kept things compartmentalized. I do know he's becoming more and more interested in the long-term effects of exposure. He's not been happy with our findings."  
  
"It loses effect over time?" Shepard asked.  
  
"No. Even worse. It settles. The brain is completely altered and the subject either turns mindless or goes mad. And it's not just research subjects. The researchers lose control over time. My own predecessor was my first test subject."  
  
A very bad feeling started to fill Robert. But he said nothing for the moment, sensing Shepard's continued questions. Unfortunately, it proved Thanoptis knew nothing more of use.  
  
More than that, Robert could feel that Thanoptis' feelings were entirely self-centered. She was worried about her mental health and whether she was indoctrinated. She didn't care for her victims, intentional or otherwise. Saren had hired the right person for this terrible job.  
  
"Please let me go." Thanoptis' voice was full of terror. "I… I'll leave. I'll testify, whatever you want, but I don't want to die here. Here." She reached over and hit a key on the nearby desk, nearly getting shot by Wrex for her troubles. A sealed door on the other end opened and revealed a lift. "Up there is Saren's private lab. He keeps things down there none of us are allowed to see. Maybe you can find something? Saren's your enemy, not me!"  
  
Robert examined Thanoptis more closely at that point. Was she just utterly amoral? Or was there a sliver of the indoctrination in her?  
  
Shepard sighed and jerked her thumb. "Exit's that way, past the bodies. Run fast if you don't want to get hit by the nuke we're going to plant."  
  
Relief flooded Thanoptis. "Thank you!" She ran in that direction. Robert felt her pleasure at living. Her desire to find a better job.  
  
"Let's go," Shepard said. She stepped toward the lift opened by Thanoptis. Wrex moved next and Robert behind him.  
  
He'd made it to the lift when he heard Garrus' rifle fire.  
  
Shepard and Wrex looked to him and then to Garrus, who walked up with the rifle in his arms. "One of the Geth looked like it was moving," Garrus said. "So I made sure."  
  
It was a lie. A thin one, one Garrus only said for form, and Robert could sense both his complete confidence in his choice and Shepard's resigned acceptance. "Good thing you spotted that, it might have caused us trouble," she said, accepting the lie that she clearly didn't believe.  
  
Nobody said another word as the lift doors closed.  
  
  
  
  
At the top of the lift was a two-level chamber. The top level held the entrance and a catwalk ending over the middle of the room, leaving open space. The lower level had stations of varying kind and an object wreathed in green light, including a hardlight control construct. Robert felt the surge of familiarity inside of Shepard and glanced in her direction. "What is it?"  
  
"It's another beacon," she said. "Just like the one on Eden Prime."  
  
Together the group walked down to the lower level. "It looks like Saren was investigating the beacon," Garrus said. "Like he was trying to understand more of it."  
  
"Which still begs the question of what he wants with them," Robert noted. "And how they relate to the 'Conduit'."  
  
Shepard stepped up to the beacon. "There's one way to find out." She set her hands on the controls. After several moments they faded.  
  
The beacon lit up and Shepard froze in place. Robert felt her mind reel as the beacon fed information into it. He caught glimpses, just the barest ones, and sensed Shepard's mind putting the pieces into place. The Cipher, acquired from Shiala on Feros, gave her mind the foundation to comprehend what was in the beacon.  
  
After several seconds the beacon's glow faded. Shepard slumped forward slightly and set a hand to her helmeted head. "What was that?" Wrex asked.  
  
"The beacon. The entire message," she groaned. "It was a warning. About the Reapers. And more." Shepard shook her head. "I need time to process this." She stepped through them and toward the ramp leading back to the second level. They followed.  
  
As they ascended the ramp Robert let out a gasp. There was something in the energy in this room, something wrong. A presence was forming that brimmed with raw malevolence.  
  
As they neared the top, a form appeared at the end of the extended catwalk of the top level. A construct of red light with the shape of a sea creature, Shepard turned toward it and followed the path to approach the construct. "That can't be a good sign," said Wrex.  
  
"I think we got someone's attention," Robert replied in a low tone.  
  
From around them, a voice spoke with an electronic timbre. " _You are not Saren._ "  
  
"It must be some kind of VI interface," Garrus said.  
  
" _Rudimentary creatures of flesh and blood. You touch my mind, fumbling in ignorance, incapable of understanding._ " The voice made a shiver go up Robert's spine.  
  
"Yeah, I don't think this is a VI," Wrex said.  
  
The voice continued. " _There is a realm of existence so far beyond your own you cannot even imagine it. I am beyond your comprehension. I am Sovereign._ "  
  
"Saren's ship," Shepard said. As she spoke Robert felt the same horrible realization in her that he felt. "It's not an old Reaper ship. It's an actual _Reaper_."  
  
"Then all of Saren's tests on indoctrination, his experiments…"  
  
"' _Reaper'? A label given by many races to give voice to their destruction._ " Sovereign's voice was laced with contempt. " _In the end, what any choose to call us is irrelevant. We simply are._ "  
  
"You just expect us to believe you've existed for over fifty thousand years?" Wrex demanded.  
  
" _Your expectations are beneath our concern. You are mere organic life, a mutation. An accident of nature. You live for mere years and decades, withering away until you die. We are eternal. The pinnacle of evolution and existence. Before us you are nothing. We are the end of everything._ " As the creature spoke Robert felt the chill in his spine travel up and down his body. This… this _thing_ was mechanical, a machine, and just the image of that machine projected through space for communications, but the Flow of Life seemed to be responding to its presence regardless. As if Sovereign by its very existence slowed the Flow of Life.  
  
"And what is it you want?" Shepard asked. "Why did you destroy the Protheans? Or the Adranians?"  
  
" _They were among the many who have fallen to the Cycle._ "  
  
As Robert felt the cold spread dread through him, he heard Garrus ask, "What 'Cycle'?"  
  
_"The Cycle has repeated itself more times than you can fathom_ ," Sovereign replied. " _Organic civilizations rise, evolve, expand. And at the apex of their glory, they are extinguished. These civilizations you speak of did not create the Citadel. They did not forge the Mass Relays. These are the legacies of my kind, left for them to find._ "  
  
"Why?" asked Shepard. "Why go to all of that trouble?"  
  
" _To ensure your civilizations are based on the technology of the mass relays. Our technology. By using it, your civilization develops along the lines we require._ "  
  
"You must not be too pleased with the Multiverse, then." Garrus eyed Robert, who remained silent. He noticed how deeply Robert's face was paling.  
  
" _We have long been aware of the existence of the other universes. The deviations they present are irrelevant. Your kind has still advanced in the patterns we require._ "  
  
"That still doesn't explain why," Robert said, swallowing as he did so. "Why you do this. What this cycle is for."  
  
" _We impose order on the chaos of organic evolution. You exist because we allow it. And you will end because we demand it._ "  
  
As realization spread through the others, it hit Robert the hardest. He'd already felt that truth. The admission clicked into place, delivered with a tone of inhuman malevolence. "You're harvesting the sapient life of this galaxy," he said. "Your Cycle is about wiping out interstellar civilization whenever it advances to the level you want. The Adranians and Protheans realized this. That's why they called you Reapers."  
  
As he spoke it all became clear. That cold streak within the Flow of Life in this galaxy… it was the equivalent of scar tissue around a wound. His dreams when near the Citadel, of constant slaughter, unending, that was from this scarring left on the Flow of Life, a wound that the Reapers were constantly re-opening whenever their cycles came to pass. It was no wonder he felt so sick just being in Sovereign's electronic presence. The Flow of Life sensed what Sovereign was. And it knew another slaughter was being prepared.  
  
His thoughts began to wander to his discussions with Kilaba and Ledosh in Umintamil, about a guiding intelligence in the Flow of Life. His thoughts might have continued down that path if Sovereign hadn't resumed speaking. " _Your efforts to understand us are pitiable. My kind transcends your understanding. We are each a nation, independent, free of all weakness. You cannot even grasp the nature of our existence._ "  
  
"Someone built you," Shepard said. "Who? Why would they make you do this?"  
  
" _We have no beginning. We have no end. We are infinite. Millions of years from now, when your civilization has long been eradicated and forgotten, we will endure._ "  
  
"Now you're just posturing," Shepard retorted. "If you think we're going to just let you destroy us, you're mistaken. We don't just have a galaxy behind us, but many more. A Multiverse of living beings who will fight you to the bitter end. Do you really think there's enough of you to fight all of us?"  
  
" _We are legion_ ," answered Sovereign. " _The time of our return is coming. Our numbers will darken the sky of every world. You cannot escape your doom._ "  
  
"You're not a god," Shepard countered. "You're a machine, as are the rest of your kind. And I don't care how powerful a machine you are, you can be broken. So we're going to stop you."  
  
" _Your words are as empty as your future. I am the vanguard of your destruction. This exchange is over._ "  
  
With that parting remark, Sovereign's image faded.  
  
For Robert it was like closing a window open to arctic air. The chill in his being faded. He was still pale from the shock of feeling what Sovereign was, but at least it was gone. "Are you okay?" Shepard asked him.  
  
"I will be," Robert answered. He momentarily detached his helmet and ran the comfortable material of the robe he was wearing over his forehead, sopping up sweat. "That thing… it's like the Flow of Life itself slows in its presence. Like it _knows_ what Sovereign is and is both angry and terrified of it. I… even now I can feel that sliver of cold in this galaxy's energy. The Reapers' cycles have left their mark on it."  
  
"I've never understood this 'Flow of Life' thing you talk about," Garrus admitted, "but I can believe it. That thing sounded like it came out of a nightmare."  
  
"I can't believe I'm saying this, but I'm with the Turian on that," Wrex added.  
  
"Are you ready to go on?" Shepard asked Robert. "We need to…"  
  
She was interrupted by a tone from their comms. "Normandy _to Shepard_ , _Commander, we've got a situation._ "  
  
"Hit me, Joker."  
  
" _That ship of Saren's? That thing just pulled a turn that would shear any of our ships in half. It's heading our way and fast. Whatever you're doing, you need to hurry._ "  
  
"Roger that, Joker. We're on our way." Shepard pulled her hand from the side of her helmet. "On to the breeding facility. The reservoir should be just beyond it. Let's move, people!"  
  
They rushed to the lift.  
  
  
  
  
Lucy felt the the life forms in the chamber ahead of them even before they came up on Talara's sensors. Overhead a bubbling beaker insignia signified this was a lab. She glanced briefly to Liara, who looked deceptively calm about the situation, before activating the door panel. A second panel existed beyond the first. Through the light gray doors they stepped into a room with an open center, a cylinder accessible on the second floor.  
  
A voice was speaking, accented, stern and demanding. "You've never been a mother," the voice said. "Not truly. You have no idea of what…" The voice stopped.  
  
Ahead of them, at the top of the stairs leading up to the second level, an Asari clad in black looked down. She wore an elaborate headpiece, also black; indeed, the only real color was the light blue of her face and the open chest area of the suit above her cleavage. It looked like she was dressed for death, either in mourning, or like a dealer in it.  
  
"Mother." Liara stepped ahead of Lucy and Talara. "Mother, what are you doing?"  
  
Benezia looked down at her daughter from the height of the second level. A brief register of shock was quickly pushed away. "Was this your plan, Human?" she asked, looking at Lucy. "Bring my daughter to manipulate me? It will not work."  
  
"I asked to come," Liara insisted. She took a step toward her mother. "I had to see for myself. I… I _needed_ to. I needed to see what you'd become…!"  
  
"I am what I need to be," Benezia insisted. "Saren has shown me the future if we do not act. His way is now mine. It is the only way we have to survive."  
  
Lucy almost asked what she meant, but she stopped herself. This was not her conversation to have.  
  
"But you're betraying everything you ever stood for!" Liara cried. "Everything you ever taught me!"  
  
"You are one to speak of that given how often you refused to listen to me." Benezia's voice never lost its monotone sound, not a lifeless monotone, but one of incredible reserve. "Who do you think you are, Liara, to judge my choices? To judge _me_. I'm doing what's necessary for all of us to survive!"  
  
"Survive what, Mother? The Reapers?"  
  
"Their return is inevitable," Benezia said. "All we can do is ensure we survive it." She brought a hand up. Biotic power, a lot of it, gathered around her right arm. Lucy was stunned at the raw power she was sensing. She'd never felt such a powerful biotic before, not even Commander Shepard.  
  
"Mother, don't!" Liara pleaded. Dark matter began to gather around her as well. "Please don't do this!"  
  
"Your choice is simple, daughter," Benezia answered coldly. "Join me or fight me. _Choose_."  
  
For all of the pain Lucy felt inside Liara at that point, she also sensed absolutely no hesitation. "Saren has to be stopped," Liara insisted. "Please, see reason!"  
  
Benezia responded with an eruption of biotic energy that nearly sent them all flying. Liara and Lucy absorbed it with their powers, although not with ease.  
  
And so the battle was on.  
  
  
  
  
The last Krogan defending the breeding facility fell to Wrex's shotgun. He looked down at the fallen Krogan and then to the tubes around them. The look on his face was easily-read. This was what he was focused on, the possibilities of this place.  
  
Robert glanced to Shepard. "If there are any recoverable biological samples in the tubes…"  
  
Shepard nodded once in reply. "Wrex, if you can find anything with the cure, now's the time. The reservoir is straight ahead." That led to an uneasy look from Garrus that Shepard didn't react to.  
  
"I won't be long," Wrex said. "Go ahead and get the nuke set up."  
  
"Speaking of that." Shepard keyed her comm. "Shepard to Williams. We're almost to the rendezvous point. We've already taken care of one AA tower, what about your team?"  
  
" _The Salarians are overriding the controls now. We'll get to the rendezvous point as soon as we're done._ "  
  
"Good. We'll be waiting. Shepard out." Shepard turned to Robert. "The _Normandy_ is going to land on the other side of the door, but…"  
  
"...nobody remains alone," Robert finished for her. "I'll stay with Wrex until he's done."  
  
Shepard nodded and moved on to a large gate. Interfacing with the control caused it to open, revealing a water-covered area beyond where the _Normandy_ would be clear to land. Moments after they passed through the gate closed again.  
  
By that point Wrex was already operating the controls for one of the breeding tubes. Machines moved the tube into place and opened it. His omnitool activated and, for a moment, he was intent on the scan results. "Nothing," he finally growled. The noise from another of the tubes drew his attention to Robert, who was repeating the process. "What are you doing?"  
  
Robert gave him a bemused look. "Helping, obviously." He ran his omnitool over the interior. "The sooner we're done, the sooner we get back to Shepard."  
  
Wrex closed the empty tube he was examining and moved over to the one Robert was scanning. He scanned it as well. Robert waited until he was done before remarking, "So you don't trust me."  
  
"On something this important? I can't risk being wrong." Wrex recognized the negative result and lowered his arm. "Maybe if it was Shepard. _Maybe_."  
  
"But not me."  
  
"No." Wrex moved on to the next tube in line.  
  
They heard an engine roar overhead. Robert glanced up long enough to see the _Normandy_ fly overhead, banking to come in for a landing. He immediately returned his attention to Wrex. "But you'll trust me to watch your back?" he asked.  
  
"I'll trust that you won't let me get killed," Wrex said. Beside him the next tube moved into place. "That's different. That's just me. This is about the future of the Krogan."  
  
"You're worried I'll lie and hide viable cure samples from you."  
  
"Not as worried as I'd be with Williams or Vakarian," Wrex admitted. "You strike me as too honest. Which is odd given your new job. I've never known black ops operatives to be truthful."  
  
"I'm not a black ops agent," Robert replied. "That's not what the Paladins are supposed to be about."  
  
"If you think that, you've got a lot to learn." Wrex grunted at another blank result to a scan. He moved to the opposite tube in the other row. "I've been fighting wars for hundreds of years, Dale. A lot of them were nothing but secrets and lies, piled on top of each other until nobody knew what was true anymore. Your Alliance isn't going to change that."  
  
"I'd like to see us try," Robert replied. "Especially since those same secrets and lies often cause wars in the first place."  
  
"They also keep them from becoming bigger wars." Wrex had another negative result. He felt a pang of uncertainty, of fear. That all of his hopes would be for nothing…  
  
Robert sensed that. He drew in a breath and quieted his mind, letting the instinctive feel of his life force guide his thoughts, his attention. "Fifth tube down to the right," he finally said.  
  
Wrex looked at him for a moment before heading to the tube Robert specified. He operated it for several seconds before grunting in acknowledgement. He opened a section of machinery near the tube and pulled out a vial of fluid, mostly empty. "Krogan genetic material," he said. "According to my omnitool, anyway."  
  
Robert walked up and scanned it with his own. "Mine says the same thing. Although you'll need to give it to an expert to confirm. Chakwas may be able to tell you."  
  
"Chakwas… No." Wrex shook his head while securing the vial in his armor utility pouch. "I think I know someone I can trust."  
  
"I could ask Leo…"  
  
"They're not Alliance. Not entirely. And that's what I want," Wrex insisted. "I'll see to it myself."  
  
Robert sighed. "I suppose… well, I can see why you're being cautious. But curing the genophage is just the first step for your people, Wrex, and trusting other species is going to have to be part of the process."  
  
"You want me to trust the Turians and the Salarians with the future of my species?" Wrex's red eyes reflected old anger. "They know my people are dying out, and they've done nothing to help us."  
  
"How would they? Anything they do will be treated with suspicion," Robert said. "You're clearly not trusting them, after all. You're not even trusting _me_ , and my friends helped you on Tira."  
  
"Your Alliance is also allied with the Citadel. If the Council wants the genophage to stay, your people won't resist that."  
  
"Maybe we'd try to talk them out of it," Robert said. "Encourage the Council to make new arrangements for Krogan. It wouldn't be easy, though. Someone among the Krogan would have to step up, give everyone an expectation that the Krogan wouldn't try to repeat the Rebellion if they were cured. Someone needs to be leading the Krogan toward something more than endless conflict and fighting." As he said those words Robert sensed a symmetry with Wrex. Thoughts in the old warrior's mind that matched what he was saying. With that in mind he continued, "The Krogan need a leader to show them a new way. Otherwise curing the genophage won't be enough to save them."  
  
After several moments of silence Wrex grunted in acknowledgement. "A good point." He tromped past Robert. "We should get back to Shepard and the others."  
  
No sooner did he speak that Shepard's voice came over the comms. " _Wrex, Robert, get back here on the double. The Salarians are pinned in and need backup, now._ "  
  
"We're on our way," Robert replied, and the two ran to the door.  
  
  
  
  
For a moment there was quiet in the Synthetic Insights office. The ERCS guards kept their weapons trained on Julia and her officers. With no weapons and no cover, their options were extremely limited.  
  
Julia considered the possibility of accepting arrest. It would mean a diplomatic fiasco, but no blood was shed and the evidence against Anoleis would likely be exoneration in of itself.  
  
That possibility died with the next thought. Anoleis had these people on his payroll. How many? Was Stirling one of them? If so, surrender likely meant getting shot anyway.  
  
"Anoleis has been bribing your guards to help him shake down Qui'in," Julia said. "How do I know you're not one of them?"  
  
"It doesn't matter if I am or not. It's none of your business. I'm here to take you into custody and whatever happens next is up to my bosses. Now hands on your heads, or we shoot. I'm not taking risks with you people."  
  
_Meridina, it's all up to you_ , thought Julia. She brought her hands up to put them on the back of her head. Angel and Richmond did likewise.  
  
Meridina started to as well. As her hands came up to near the level of her shoulders she acted. " _Drop your weapons_ ," she said in a stern tone. The words were simply a verbalization of the mental command she sent to them with her telepathy, an order into their brains to loosen their grips on their weapons and drop them.  
  
Stirling and her comrades did just that. They looked at their dropped weapons with stunned shock.  
  
The other three all dashed forward, selecting a target. Richmond caught one guard with chop to the neck and a follow-up punch. Angel's opponent recovered enough to attempt a first blow. Angel blocked it with her left arm. Her right arm snapped forward in a punch that caught her opponent off-guard, flooring him. She moved to pin him.  
  
This left Julia with Stirling. Julia struck first, throwing a punch that knocked Stirling backward. Stirling recovered enough to not fall. She was still unbalanced, though, and Julia took advantage of that with a snap kick that sent a tooth flying from her opponent's mouth while she toppled backward. Again she caught herself, so Julia moved in to try and put Stirling down.  
  
This time her blow never connected. She barely had time to begin the movement of her next blow when dark blue energy gathered around Stirling's arm. Julia recognized it immediately, but had no time to react before the dark matter struck her. It was pure force, so much that it sent her flying back into the wall with bone-jarring power.  
  
Stirling snarled and turned toward Angel and Richmond, who were now cooperating against the other remaining ERCS guard. She gathered biotic power into her hand.  
  
She never got a chance to use it. Meridina's power, invisible by nature, slammed into Stirling. The dark matter wreathing her hand and forearm dissipated from the loss of focus. After she hit the ground she stood up, snarling in frustration and anger at Meridina. "You'll never leave here!" she shouted. "You've assaulted ERCS personnel, defied the Administrator…"  
  
"You mean we've fought off an attempt to hide the Administrator's corruption," Julia replied hoarsely, picking herself up from the ground. "We know what he's been doing, Sergeant. You can't protect him."  
  
"To hell with Anoleis. I'm not bending for you, for you and your alien freak with her mind powers," Stirling hissed. She gathered more biotic power and threw it in an instant.  
  
Meridina held a hand up. A meter away from her the dark matter blew apart, as if striking a solid object. "Hatred clouds minds," she said in reply to Stirling. "I do not wish to hurt you. I…"  
  
Julia watched as Meridina paled. She had no opportunity to ask what it was, as Stirling sensed the lapse and tossed another biotic bolt. Meridina didn't stop this one and it sent her flying upward into the air. A second bolt crashed into her and sent her flying against the wall beyond with even greater force. Meridina let out a cry of pain when she slammed into the wall and fell to the carpet. Julia felt a surge of panic at the way she flopped lifelessly, her eyes half-closed. As if she'd hit her head.  
  
Stirling snarled with satisfaction before turning her attention to the others. There was a release of breath and the guard Angel and Richmond were tag-teaming went down, unconscious, to Richmond's chokehold. They turned in time to see Stirling's arm wreathed in dark matter. Both lunged.  
  
Stirling threw out a biotic bolt that struck both. They hit the wall beside Julia and went down to the ground.  
  
"Now, where were we?" Stirling asked. "Oh, right. You're all under arrest." She walked up to her discarded weapon and picked it up. "Although I'm of a mind to just finish this here." She lifted the rifle toward them. "Yeah, I think I'm going to just shoot the four of you for wasting my damn time."  
  
"My crew will get to the bottom of this," Julia warned her.  
  
"I doubt it. And it's not going to do you any good." Stirling raised the rifle at her. Julia glared defiantly, the only thing she could do in the moments she had left.  
  
A pair of gloved hands grabbed the sides of Stirling's head. Surprise briefly flashed on her face before her head violently twisted to the right. An audible crack filled the air. The hands released her, allowing her body to fall lifelessly to the ground, her head turned at an unnatural angle.  
  
Stirling's killer looked down at her briefly from behind his aviator's sunglasses. The accented man who send them to Qui'in looked up toward them, as if he'd just dealt with an annoying business matter, not a swift execution. "Captain," he said. "I see you ran into some trouble."  
  
"You could say that." She stared at the killer, relieved at being alive, but wondering just what the hell she was dealing with. "Thank you. She was about to shoot us."  
  
"I noticed." He shifted his head slightly. "Your Forceful officer dropped her guard. Puzzling. Sergeant Stirling was no match for her otherwise."  
  
His words jolted Julia's attention to Meridina. She led the others over to her. Richmond knelt and did a scan with her omnitool. "I'm no medical expert, but I believe she's suffered a cranial injury. I can't tell you the severity."  
  
"We need to get her back to the _Aurora_ ," Julia said. "Take her to the _Irrawaddy_ , I'll finish things up down here." She glanced toward their rescuer. He seemed to be deep in thought. "So what is going on? Who are you and what's your…"  
  
"Shh." He raised a finger. "We're not alone."  
  
"What do you…"  
  
Before Julia could finish _something_ rushed in, too fast to be Human. To her amazement he moved just as quickly. There was the sound of flesh striking flesh, their new ally went flying off into Qui'in's office, and a new dark-clad figure was falling backward from them. It - he - rolled with it and wound up on his feet. He was a pale man, with skin more white in tone than even Richmond's porcelain complexion. Wiry in frame, but taller than any of those present. A snarl formed on his face. "What a prize," he rasped, in a voice that rasped so hoarsely it didn't sound like it could come from a Human.  
  
"Holy crap," Julia heard Angel mutter. "It's like that…"  
  
The attacker spoke again. "I thought only to follow the Black, but I have been gifted opportunity. Dawn-Bringers in my presence…"  
  
Julia and Angel exchanged glances at that reference. "What do you want?" Julia asked the thing.  
  
"Your deaths," rasped the being. And without another word, he sprang forward.


	5. Chapter 5

The pale humanoid went for Richmond first. Richmond's defensive stance saved her from the brunt of the first blow. She deflected the second with her forearms. A cry of pain accompanied her being thrown back by the blow until she slammed into the wall.  
  
The being did not continue his attack on her. He seemed to sense Angel's incoming punch as she threw it. He grabbed her wrist and turned her arm painfully, eliciting a pained growl from Angel. His left arm came up and blocked a punch from Julia. When his leg snapped up and struck her, Julia felt like someone had smashed a sledgehammer against her ribs with enough force to crack them. She gave a short, strangled cry from the pain. This debilitated her long enough that the creature was able to block Angel's punch with her other arm. He used a knee block to stop her follow-up kick, all while maintaining his grip on Angel's right hand. There was a cracking sound and Angel's face paled slightly. Her hand limped a little from the broken wrist their attacker's grip inflicted.  
  
_He's so_ fast _,_ Julia thought. Her next move was a diving tackle. The grip of their attacker on Angel's wrist did not give way, so Angel was dragged with him as they all went to the floor. Julia felt a momentary surge of triumph at the tackle's success; wherever this thing's strength came from, it didn't come with mass. She could still potentially get leverage for a pin.  
  
And then the creature's elbow smashed into her face, or more specifically, her cheek. She felt the bone fracture from the impact. Another inch over and her nose would have been completely smashed in. The strength of the blow dazed her enough that Julia lost the leverage she'd gained. Her opponent twisted out from under her and delivered a kick to Angel's shoulder that dislocated it. He regained his footing and twisted Angel's arm around, resisting her attempt to break free. With a look of triumph he completed the twist with an audible snap. Angel screamed.  
  
Richmond was back on her feet and went for a tackle of her own, at his legs. She nearly knocked the man back down and forced him to let go of Angel for the moment. He responded by driving his elbows into Richmond's shoulders. She didn't let go with the first blow, but the second finally forced her to pull her arms back. Richmond had no chance to stop the next blow, a solid knee to her belly that hit with such force she crumbled to the floor.  
  
Broken ribs and broken cheekbone aside, Julia jumped back in and swung at the pale man. With inhuman speed he caught her hand with his own and sneered. "You have spirit, Dawn-Bringer," the man rasped. "But you are not a Forceful nor a psion. You are mortal. You are _prey_." As he gloated Julia brought her other hand up, trying to land a punch, but he intercepted that fist too. The grip he had on her knuckles and fingers was _crushing_. She cried out as one of her knuckles finally broke under the strain. With desperation she tried to knee him between the legs, but he intercepted her knee with his own.  
  
Suddenly he was pushing her away with enough force to launch her a foot into the air. She felt an impact behind her. When she landed, she realized Angel was underneath her.  
  
Their attacker, pale face shining with smug triumph, raised his foot and prepared to bring it down on Richmond's skull.  
  
There was a blur of movement. Suddenly their attacker was being slammed into the far wall. Standing over RIchmond now was their unnamed ally, the man with the sallow complexion, his eyes obscured under the aviator's Ray-Bans. He clenched a fist. "You shouldn't play with your food," he taunted.  
  
The pale attacker hissed in anger. He charged the well-dressed man with hatred on his face. His blows were met with blocks and deflections. Julia and Angel watched with stunned silence at what seemed to be a martial arts duel in fast-forward mode. Within the space of a second it seemed two or three blows were exchanged between the two fighters, and the same in the next second, and the next. Punches and kicks in rapid motion, such that it wasn't clear which blows were landing and which weren't.  
  
Given the stalemate, and their likely fate if their unnamed ally lost, Julia knew they had to act. She scrambled over to Sergeant Stirling's body and retrieved her sidearm. A quick check of her omnitool confirmed the weapon's ID software and her own internal software quickly linked with it and provided her access. Julia leveled the gun toward the two combatants and focused. They were moving so fast that she couldn't be sure she'd hit her target.  
  
Then their ally stumbled backward from the fight. Whether or not he did it intentionally or not, Julia was not going to miss her opportunity. She pulled the trigger and heard the particular low thundercrack of a mass effect field instant-accelerating a sliver of metal to high velocity. She didn't bother waiting to see the effect of this on her foe. She pulled the trigger again. And again. And again. Dark blood erupted from the wounds she was inflicting. But with little visible effect.  
  
But even little visible effect was something. Their foe seemed to relent just a bit, just a tiny bit, from his fight. Given the opening, their ally reached in and grabbed the creature's head. A loud snap filled the room and the attacker fell, his neck broken as Stirling's was.  
  
Julia started to stand. "What was…?" Before she could finish, their ally pulled a glinting metal blade, almost a dagger instead of a knife, and plunged it into the pale figure's heart. "What… _why_ …?!"  
  
"To make sure," said the finely-dressed man. "Eliminating blood flow is the only guaranteed way to kill a Pretender."  
  
Julia's first thought was that he was referring to Jarod. It was Angel, now cradling her broken right arm with her left, who said, "It was like that damned thing on Corwin."  
  
"Yes. I am aware of the attack on yourself and Commander Jarod several months ago. And that was a lesser assassin. This one was an older Pretender. Stronger, smarter. Mostly. They are arrogant as hell, though."  
  
"I want an explanation," Julia said. "Who are you? What is your stake in this?"  
  
"Business," said the man. "As for my name, you may call me Mister Black, if you must. I am the personal agent of one of the investors in Noveria sent to uphold my employer's business interests." He looked down and glowered at the corpse of the dead man. "And those interests include dealing with the corruption of Anoleis. That he has made you an enemy allowed for a mutually beneficial alliance between us."  
  
Julia and Angel exchanged glances. There was more to this than they were being told. But the pain in her face and chest and left hand reminded Julia she had other concerns. "I need to get medical attention to my people," she said. "But we're going to make a scene if we take them to the _Irrawaddy_."  
  
"Then do not." Black stepped over to the railing looking down on the first floor. Julia heard the lift doors open a moment later. She walked up in time to see Gianna Parasini enter. "Miss Parasini, we have people in need of medical attention and need for a clean-up unit. I am afraid there was an unexpected complication."  
  
"I understand, Mister Black." Parasini looked to Julia. "It looks like you had quite the fight, Captain. I'm sorry it came to this. Give me a few minutes and I'll have a medical team here to treat your people. We have the finest medtech in the Multiverse available in our infirmary, so I assure you that you won't be needing a return to your ship to seek full treatment." With that she walked away.  
  
Julia looked at him suspiciously. "Anoleis' secretary? You're working with her? Are you really trying to stop Anoleis?"  
  
"Yes. Miss Parasini is also in an alliance of mutual benefit with myself and my employer. You have just helped her immensely. You _do_ have Qui'in's evidence, do you not?"  
  
Julia knelt down by Richmond, whom Angel was scanning. "She's got internal bleeding and blunt force trauma to her internal organs," Angel said. "She needs help soon."  
  
"It's on the way, apparently," Julia replied, still not very satisfied with what she was being told. She reached into Richmond's pocket and pulled out the M4P2verse OSD. "Here's the hard copy of the evidence," she said to Black. "We've already made partial copies on our omnitools."  
  
"Good thinking, although not nearly as convincing as the hard copy. Give it to Qui'in when we leave here."  
  
"He's working with you too? Another 'mutually beneficial' alliance?"  
  
"Yes, quite." Black turned away from her and walked over to the fallen "Pretender". He picked it up and slung the corpse over his shoulder. "This thing's remains cannot be left for others to take in. I will go dispose of it. Miss Parasini and her medics should be here shortly. Cooperate and everything will be fine." With that said, he walked off toward the direction of the smaller offices.  
  
"This entire thing is just… utterly screwed up." Angel grimaced. "And ugh. Fighting those things is ridiculous. They're not Human."  
  
"Neither is Black." Julia watched him disappear around a corner. "Strange, isn't it?'  
  
"What?"  
  
"That he resembles it a little? I mean, not just the enhanced physical power, but wearing sunglasses in an interior location on an arctic planet? Didn't your rescuer on Corwin wear sunglasses?"  
  
Angel considered the question for a moment, searching her memory. "Yeah," she answered. "She did."  
  
"I want to find out more about Black," Julia said. "I get the feeling we're being used, and I'm not comfortable with that." Left unsaid was other questions. The way the Pretender had referred to them, for one, and how it made them think of that old Gersallian prophecy that caused so much trouble for them the prior year.  
  
But those thoughts and questions had to wait, just as they did for the medical attention that would tend to them and their wounded comrades.  
  
  
  
  
The exam room under the glacier of Peak 15 was alive with blue light. The blue light of Lucy's lightsaber. The darker blue, almost violet light of the biotics of Liara t'Soni and Matriarch Benezia. The light white-blue of the pulses from Talara's pistol.  
  
Lucy's senses were alive with how powerful Benezia's biotics were. She could sense, through the Flow of Life, the twisting of space from the dark matter Benezia was generating. She brought her lightsaber down toward Benezia's dark matter-wreathed hands simply to be denied again by the dark matter field protecting Benezia. It took everything she had to absorb Benezia's retaliatory blast of biotic power, and even then she still skidded backward across the platform.  
  
"Mother, stop it!" Liara's own biotics surged to life. A surge of raw kinetic force slammed into Benezia's defenses. But they still held. "Please! Saren's mad, you have to see that!"  
  
"I have seen the light, his light. The light of our survival." Benezia's retort was followed by a fresh surge of dark matter. This expanded into a gravity singularity in mid-air. Lucy felt its pull down to the nerves in her body, the cells, and gritted her teeth to resist that pull.  
  
Liara and Talara, as close as they were, could not. It drew them off their feet. Liara reached out and grabbed the handrail beside her, using that to hold herself away. Talara couldn't grab anything where she was, however, and was pulled toward the middle. The Falaen woman desperately tried to center herself as she spun helplessly in the middle of the air. She knew that she could use her new abilities to throw herself free. But the concentration that required was beyond her at the moment.  
  
Lucy nearly went after Benezia again, but she knew just what the singularity was going to do in a few seconds. She could feel its power was building toward an explosion. So she held her lightsaber away and readied herself for what her senses told her was coming.  
  
When the singularity finally ended with a burst of raw force, it sent Talara tumbling wildly in mid-air straight for a nasty collision with one of the chamber's support walls. Lucy reached for her with her power and grabbed Talara from mid-air. She pulled her back toward herself, and a much safer landing on the ground.  
  
A sense of warning filled her. Even as she continued to direct Talara's return to the floor, Lucy focused her will, her power, before her. This caught the tremendous blast of power Benezia sent after her. Dark blue light crackled angrily against an invisible force shield powered by Lucy's life.  
  
Generating both the protective field and the force drawing Talara told her was taxing on Lucy. It took a lot of power, a lot of her connection to the Flow of Life, to maintain. Benezia noted that strain and threw another biotic blast. It too failed to break Lucy's shield, but it increased the strain on her. Then there was another blast… and another…  
  
...which Liara intercepted with her own biotic field. " _Please!_ " she pleaded. "Listen to yourself! You speak as if Saren were a prophet!"  
  
"He is one, Liara. A prophet of what is coming." Benezia's voice was cold. "You should have joined us when you had the chance. That is why we came for you on Therum."  
  
"You sent Geth after me, you mean!" Liara retorted. Beside her, Talara landed. Lucy stepped up, weapon again drawn. "You didn't come yourself! Why?!"  
  
"Because I had other duties."  
  
"More important than me?!"  
  
"More important than _anything_ ," Benezia insisted. Dark matter accumulated around her. "If our galaxy is to survive, Saren must prevail. He _must, Liara!_ No other life is important compared to that!" Benezia was becoming wreathed in the dark matter, with power that Lucy and Talara sensed and knew to be a great danger. " _Not even yours!_ "  
  
Lucy moved forward, lightsaber in hand, to strike. But it wasn't soon enough. A massive wave of dark matter poured over her, over Liara, over Talara. She gasped at the feeling it caused, as if something inside of her wanted to rip her in half bit by bit.  
  
Then there was another wave, and all three went flying.  
  
"I am sorry, Liara." Benezia's power continued to surge. "But you leave me no choice. If you will not serve Saren with me, you must die."  
  
  
  
  
For Ashley and the Salarians who survived, one sight among many would always come fresh to their minds when they thought of their desperate fight on Virmire. It was the sight of the _Normandy_ moving overhead, her engines a high pitched roar in the air. The cargo bay opened and from it Shepard and her team jumped onto the tower, firing as they descended. Robert moved ahead of them, the emerald blade of his lightsaber shining in his hand, deflecting plasma fire from the Geth while his free hand moved about, directing metaphysical force to slam Geth about the tower. Shepard shot forward in a streak of biotic fury and sent a heavy Geth biped flying backward toward the edge of the roof. Kaidan and Wrex directed their own biotic talents at it, and two bolts of dark matter struck the platform and sent it flying to a destructive crash in the jungle below.  
  
Ashley, isolated with a wounded Salarian at one end of the tower, looked up from her cover and opened fire on her opponents. A Geth collapsed in a shower of sparks from all of the damage her gun inflicted. She brought her rifle over to bear on another Geth just as it opened fire on her. Her personal barrier absorbed the first shots that struck her. Her weapon fired in retort.  
  
But it was the blast from behind the Geth that brought it down. Tali moved up to join her in cover, firing her shotgun at a third Geth coming at Ashley's blind side. Across the roof Garrus rushed ahead to shelter behind an air cooling unit. He peered out of his protective cover long enough to fire off a shot with his sniper rifle that shattered the light of a Geth's head.  
  
"Get to the _Normandy_!" Shepard shouted. "Move! Move!"  
  
"All units, fall in!" Kirrahe's order filled the comm line. Across the wide roof Salarian survivors started a cautious, then a not-so-cautious, advance on the _Normandy_ 's open cargo bay door. Kirrahe helped a wounded compatriot along toward the ship. "Commander, thank you, your timing was most impeccable. But what about the bomb?"  
  
Shepard gestured to the bay. A couple of _Normandy_ crew in gray combat armor were already carrying the bomb out. "We're setting it here and now. It'll still destroy the base completely."  
  
"I see. Excellent adaptation to the situation, Commander. I…"  
  
"Get down!" Shepard saw the Geth unit direct its attention toward them a moment too late, regardless of her warning. She grabbed Kirrahe, knowing they'd never drop in time…  
  
And then Wrex slammed into the Geth, throwing its aim off, and the plasma fire that resulted played against the _Normandy_ 's hull with little visible effect. Wrex's shotgun boomed. Sparks and metal flew from the wound the shot caused in the big Geth unit. Before it could turn its attention to Wrex Robert moved in. There was a flash of green light and the Geth's forearms and hands fell away, along with its weapon. Wrex fired again, a blast that smashed the Geth's head and brought it down.  
  
"Get your people aboard _now!_ " Shepard shouted. Wordlessly Kirrahe obeyed.  
  
Everyone fell back on the _Normandy_ cargo bay, the uninjured providing cover fire for the wounded. Robert and the biotics provided further cover with their abilities, projecting fields and, in Robert's case, reflecting fire with his weapon. Return fire attrited the Geth forces down. Behind them the last Salarians boarded, with Shepard's team following and helping to secure the wounded. Shepard and Robert backed toward the cargo bay door to be the last to board.  
  
From above there was a bright flaring of light. " _We're under fire from the Geth ships in orbit!_ " Joker reported over the comm line. " _Barriers holding, but not for much longer! We'd better amscray_!"  
  
"We're almost done." Shepard turned her head to Kaidan and nodded. "Set the bomb."  
  
Kaidan's omnitool lit up. "One minute count, starting now."  
  
"Good, now get back aboard. We're getting out of here."  
  
Robert felt the surge of despair and hopelessness. He realized the source and dashed ahead, leaving Shepard behind. "We've left someone!" he shouted.  
  
"Get back here, we don't have time…!" Shepard demanded.  
  
Robert heard the order, but he felt he didn't have far to go. He found the source of the feeling behind cover at the edge of the roof. A wounded Salarian soldier, of white and rust-coloring, looked up at him with big, desperate black eyes. "Help me," he cried. Green blood was seeping from a wound in the Salarian's shoulder and more on each legs. "I can't move."  
  
"I've got you." Robert knelt down and got his shoulder and neck under the Salarian's armpit. "Here we go!" The Salarian cried in pain as he lifted the soldier up. Robert felt that pain vaguely but ignored the sensation. Better pain than getting vaporized. He turned to carry the soldier to the _Normandy_.  
  
Shepard tackled both a moment later, and in doing so, she saved their lives.  
  
A mere half-second after she carried the two forward, a ripple of weapons fire ripped through the air in the space they had been occupying. Overhead a motor whine was barely perceptible over the continued high roar of the _Normandy_ 's station-keeping engines. A gray platform soared overhead and moved downward.  
  
Robert and Shepard stood up in time to see the gray-clad figure on the platform.  
  
Saren.  
  
The platform soared over to the bomb. Robert sensed what Saren was about to do and lashed out with a blast of force, wild and powerful. Saren generated a field of dark matter that absorbed the hit, barely, while the same force wreathed around his arm. In a single sweep he threw it outward.  
  
But not toward them.  
  
In a burst of dark blue light, the nuclear device that Tali and Kaidan had assembled so carefully was torn apart, leaving it nothing but a pile of fissile material and debris; utterly harmless.  
  
"The moment my forces faced the STG, I knew you'd come, Shepard." Saren moved his platform across the roof and faced them. Dark matter glowed around his arms. "My Geth were convinced the Salarians were the greater threat, but I knew better. I couldn't obviously say so in front of the Council, but I actually respect you for your performance on Elysium and Akuze. You've proven yourself a survivor, Shepard. So you, of all people, should appreciate my efforts."  
  
"You've sold out the galaxy to a Reaper, Saren!" Shepard retorted from cover. She had her gun up and ready. Robert's hand gripped his lightsaber.  
  
Above them there was another burst of weapons fire. " _Commander, our barriers are failing!_ " shouted Joker. " _We need to move_ now."  
  
"Joker, get the _Normandy_ flying again, come back for us when we're done," Shepard ordered. "Take off _now_."  
  
" _But we're still…_ "  
  
Ashley's protest went unheeded. The _Normandy_ 's cargo bay door closed before she or any of the other team members could disembark, leaving Shepard, Robert, and the unfortunate wounded Salarian they'd nearly left behind The ship lifted in the air and flew away even as another shot played against its failing protective field.  
  
"There is no stopping the Reapers, Shepard," Saren said. "You've seen the visions. You must understand that. The Protheans tried to fight back and were annihilated. I will not make the same mistake. I will serve. So I cannot let you continue to disrupt my plans."  
  
"You really think the Reapers will let us live? We spoke to Sovereign, Saren! That thing doesn't care about you, it doesn't care about any of us! It's using you as a tool!"  
  
"I know about the indoctrination. That is why this place is so important to me," Saren replied. "It will provide the means to protect me."  
  
"Can any of us be protected?" Robert asked. "From something as insidious as that?" He peeked around the corner of their cover to see Saren keeping his distance, still standing on his platform. "We saw the subjects, Saren."  
  
"You don't even understand it yourself, what makes you think you can protect yourself from it?" Shepard's voice was thick with disbelief. "Why would Sovereign even let you?"  
  
"I've studied the effects for years," Saren replied. "The more control exerted by Sovereign, the less capable the subject. That is my saving grace. He needs me to be fully capable, not a puppet."  
  
Shepard shook her head. "Why? What's so special about you that Sovereign won't indoctrinate you?"  
  
"Sovereign needs me to find the Conduit. If I succeed, I will win reprieve from the inevitable. This is my, this is _our_ , only hope!"  
  
"It's a fool's hope," Shepard spat. "You can't trust that thing! We're just tools to it! Nothing more!"  
  
"Listen to us," Robert pleaded. "I can sense what Sovereign truly is, Saren. It's malicious, contemptful of life… it has no reason to give you any promises or to keep them, and it _won't_. Our only hope is to _fight these things_."  
  
"And we can do it, together!" Shepard urged. "Come back with me to the Council. Admit to them what you've found out, what Sovereign is. We can defeat it together!"  
  
"You _are not listening_ ," raged Saren. "This is why I didn't go to the Council! We organics, we don't approach things logically, we follow emotions! We'll fight even when there's no hope in it, no chance to succeed! Our only hope is to _serve!_ Otherwise the Reapers will destroy us!"  
  
As he raved Robert quieted his mind and focused on his being. His energy and the Flow of Life met. It was growing cold and dark from the approach of Sovereign. He shook off that feeling of dread the Reaper was causing him and focused on what he felt from Saren. Certainty flooded that connection, a certainty born from being convinced his way was the only way, that he was right, everyone else wrong. Frustration tinged it. Even with the nuke destroyed, the attack on his base had caused major damage to his efforts and distracted him from his pursuit of his objective. The Conduit dominated that thought. It was the key to everything. He had to find it.  
  
It was when Robert probed deeper that he felt it. Beneath Saren's certainty was… _fear_. Fear of losing himself. Fear that he was _wrong_. That Sovereign was controlling him, that Sovereign was lying to him, that he and the galaxy he'd sworn to defend were _doomed_. That he could do _nothing_ to save them from the inevitable destruction of the Reapers.  
  
There was an instinctive resistance to this inside of Saren. He didn't like these thoughts. He didn't want them. They were unwelcome, they interfered with his purpose, they…  
  
...they were _right_.  
  
It was barely perceptible to Robert, such that he nearly missed it. The twisting of purpose. The sliver of corruption, smaller, more subtle, than that he'd felt in Avot and the other indoctrinated Salarians. But it was there.  
  
"I sense it in you, Saren," Robert called out. "I can feel it inside of your being, your mind. Sovereign's twisting your thoughts to his needs. It's too late for you to stop it. It's got you."  
  
"No!" insisted Saren. "You're wrong!"  
  
"When you were on the _Aurora_ last year, I sensed there was something off about you, but I didn't have the ability then to understand what I was sensing. I couldn't have known." Robert rose from his place and stepped around it. Shepard eyed him warily while rising, her weapon at the ready. "But I know it now. It's buried inside of you, like a cancer on your spirit. Making you think Sovereign is right. That this is your only hope. Twisting all of your thoughts…"  
  
"You don't know that."  
  
"Deep down you know it already," Robert continued. "I can feel the fear inside of you, just as much as I feel that corruption in your being. You know Sovereign's using you. You just won't accept it."  
  
"You are the ones who won't accept the truth! That we cannot fight the Reapers!" At that, the hovering platform rushed toward them again. Robert and Commander Shepard dove for cover just as Saren's bolts of dark matter flew for them. The attack barely missed them, dispersing against the solid cover they were employing.  
  
"This resistance is pointless!" Saren declared. "If we do not serve, the Reapers will destroy us all!"  
  
"This is insanity, Saren!" Shepard shouted.  
  
"No," he answered coldly. "This is survival."  
  
  
  
  
Since the contact with M4P2 opened up, stories about Asari Matriarchs had begun a silent spread across the Multiverse. Their great age and wisdom, their practiced grace and poise, their sheer capacity for handling the tumult of the e-democracies that governed the Asari Republics, these were the primary focus of such stories.  
  
But there were a few about their power. How the centuries of learning and exercise had turned them into biotic powerhouses capable of immense feats of biotic strength, up until the time their bodies' aging process finally overcame their strength.  
  
Lucy now reflected those stories didn't do justice to the facts. Or at least the facts regarding Benezia.  
  
Biotic energy glowed so brightly around her to nearly become white. With a wave of her hand Benezia sent dark matter bolts that it took much of Lucy's strength to disperse. Liara strugged equally to resist her mother's power. Openings came, at least for Lucy, but they did her little good. For every attempted blow, her lightsaber met dark matter so concentrated that it couldn't break through. With repeated strikes she might succeed, but Benezia inevitably sent her flying or falling backward with a biotic strike.  
  
Talara was having the worst time of it. She squeezed off shots where she was able, but they met the biotic field around Benezia with no better result that Lucy's weapon.  
  
Undaunted, Lucy went after Benezia again. This time she started off by willing Benezia herself fall backward. Her power bypassed Benezia's shield in that respect. But the impact - against the support frame beside the Rachni Queen - could not break the dark matter field protecting Benezia's body. When Lucy rushed in and brought her lightsaber down on Benezia's shoulder, the field caught the blow. Benezia's arm came up and dark matter shot out at Lucy. With concentration she stopped the dark matter from striking her, causing it to crackle and dissipate before her. Another bolt from Benezia had the same effect. She focused on Lucy while ignoring the shots from Talara's pulse pistol with contempt.  
  
Liara was not so easily ignored. She recognized an opening and took it… by charging her mother with her own biotic field gathered around her. She didn't let go of it until she was in literal point blank range, after which she forced it forward in a single burst of biotic power.  
  
For the first time, a direct attack caused Benezia to stumble. She fell backward again, this time genuinely affected by an attack. The older Asari hissed inarticulately when she slammed into the pod containing the Rachni Queen. The hiss turned into a howl, after which dark matter surged from her and struck Liara. The blow caught Liara before she could recover from the effort of her attack. The dark matter enveloped her, a warp field that felt like it was trying to tear her apart. She cried out in pain and fell back for the moment.  
  
Lucy thought she had an opening. There was a weakness in the field, or so her senses told her, and she struck at it with her lightsaber. But the bright light of the gathered dark matter surged back into place the second before her blade hit home and again the weapon was thwarted. Benezia snarled and summoned more of her power, a near stream of dark matter that seemed to be almost alive in its eagerness to tear Lucy apart. Lucy's face froze in an expression of pure effort. Everything she had went into the energy she needed to hold Benezia back.  
  
Talara, kneeling at the wall she'd been batted against earlier in the fight, continued to fire without effect. Her eyes widened as the sheer energy in the room hit her senses. She remembered the feeling of energy when the _Castle of Lions_ was drawing from both Princess Allura and Lucy, but this… this seemed even greater. Everything seemed to twist from the sheer power of Benezia's biotics and the dark matter it was generating. She never imagined biotics might be this powerful. And her pistol, now low on charges, was doing nothing.  
  
With a deep breath Talara holstered the weapon and focused on her own power. Weeks of training with Lucy had taught her basic fundamentals of control and focus. She knew she couldn't hope to match what Lucy was managing, but if she could help _distract_ Benezia… then maybe Lucy could overpower her. Maybe… With a grunt of effort Talara reached with the life energy within her, willing the universe to throw Benezia back.  
  
And Benezia did indeed fall partly backward, as if knocked off-balance. Her attack on Lucy slackened slightly. Lucy, with determination glistening in her blue eyes, advanced on the Asari Matriarch, dark matter crackling around the empty air a step ahead of her, drawing closer and closer with each step. Talara desperately maintained her own attack on Benezia to try and contain her.  
  
A cry of rage came from Benezia. For the second time a powerful burst of biotic power lashed out in a wave. Talara was thrown back into the wall by the impact. Lucy's defenses nearly fell, forcing her onto her back foot and off-balance. She redoubled her efforts, groaning with effort as she did.  
  
Liara picked herself up from the ground. The dissipation of the warp field didn't bring an end to the pain. She felt terrible and, from teaching and experience, could expect possible microhemorrhages in her body from the warp field's effects. She looked to Talara, dazed and trying to stand back up, and to a desperate Lucy fighting her mother's power, and knew she had to act. Biotic power surged around her and she prepared to…  
  
Liara stopped when Benezia's head turned toward her. There was a glint in her mother's eye at complete odds with her circumstances. Liara noticed her mother's biotic field seem to weaken at the section facing her. Presumably fatigue…  
  
But that look in her eye…  
  
And then she heard Benezia's voice speak, without a hint of the cold tone she'd used before. "I am proud of you, Liara."  
  
"Doctor, a little help?!" Lucy called out, her voice strained from effort.  
  
Liara's face betrayed her frustration with the situation, and her knowledge that regardless of anything she wanted… she did indeed have to act. And so she did, gathering dark matter and throwing it out in the strongest bolt she could create. The dark blue blast took barely a half-second to reach her mother. When it struck Benezia's defenses, the pure force behind the attack broke through the field of dark matter and impacted Benezia directly. There was a cry of surprise and pain at the force of the impact. It threw Benezia off her feet and into the air. She flew until she hit the handrail of the elevated platform. She flipped over it and fell to the platform below.  
  
"Mother!" Liara ran to the railing. She looked down to see her mother sprawled out. She was not moving. Liara ignored Lucy's call of "Liara, wait!" and jumped over the railing. She concentrated dark matter sufficient to slow her fall and let her land on her feet beside her mother. "Mother, I'm here!" She bent down next to her. WIth a movement her omnitool came to life, amber light that she used to scan her mother. "Goddess _no_ ," she breathed at seeing the extent of her mother's injuries. The holographic image showed the blood seeping through what looked like multiple burst blood vessels in Benezia's brain, not to mention other damage.  
  
"So proud of you, Little Wing," Benezia's voice said softly. "So proud…"  
  
And she did not speak again.  
  
A last exhalation of air came from Benezia's open mouth. Liara's scans told her the bitter truth, but she defied it for the moment, instead grabbing a medi-gel dispenser and pressing it to her mother. "No!" she cried. "Mother, please, _no_."  
  
Above them, Lucy was helping Talara stand up. Both felt the same thing. They walked over to the railing and looked down. "Doctor… Liara… I'm sorry," Lucy said, even though she knew from her own bitter experience that _nothing_ said could ease the pain of what just happened.  
  
Liara's hands reached for Benezia and took her face. "I didn't mean it," Liara wept. Her tears fell from her face and onto her mother. "I didn't want this. _Why?_ " With the expected lack of a reply, Liara pulled her mother into her arms and wept bitterly.  
  
With discomfort written over her face, Talara looked to her teacher. The lavender of her irises reflected the pain they both sensed from Liara. "What shall we do?"  
  
"There's nothing we can do." In sympathy with Liara's new pain, an old wound in Lucy's heart flared up. She felt that familiar hollowness, first experienced the day Isabela Lucero breathed her last. "Your parents are still alive, right?"  
  
"Yes," Talara said.  
  
"Good. I wouldn't wish this pain on anyone."   
  
  
  
  
The air filled with biotic power and again Saren's bolts of force descended upon Robert and Shepard. They projected their own defenses to absorb the attack, requiring effort. Frustrated, Saren flew on to come in for another attack.  
  
" _Commander, we're staying just a step ahead of these guys_ ," Joker said over their comms. " _I can't get an opening to swing in and pick you up. And that big ship is getting closer…_ "  
  
"Do not engage Sovereign, Joker!" Shepard shouted. "Retreat from Virmire if you have to!"  
  
" _But what about…_ "  
  
"That is a _direct order_ , Lieutenant Moreau," Shepard insisted. "Keep the ship safe! Shepard out!"  
  
"When Sovereign arrives, you will understand the futility of this," Saren declared. He flew in toward them. Shepard fired off a few shots that Saren absorbed with a charged biotic field. "You will see I am right!"  
  
They ignored Saren. "It'd be a good time for you to use all of those powers you've got," Shepard said to Robert.  
  
"He's got us running so much I'm not sure I can control them enough," he replied.  
  
Another bolt of biotic energy lashed out at them. Robert projected force ahead of them to disperse it. Shepard fired off another few rounds that had no effect. "Well, we have to do something. What about that platform? If you can knock him off…"  
  
It was a good idea, and it ignored Saren's biotic barrier. But it wouldn't be easy. "I need a moment," he said.  
  
Saren came in for another attack run. Shepard met his dark matter bolts with a barrier of her own that dispersed it. As she did, Robert reached out with his power. Force gripped Saren's platform. Slightly more force than Robert had intended, but that helped do the job, sending the platform flying upward and twisting violently, throwing Saren off.  
  
Whether Saren saw it coming or not, he acted quickly in adjusting. In the seconds he had before he'd fall below the level of the roof, Saren channeled biotic power until he, like Shepard often did, shot forward on a trail of biotic force. He landed closely enough to throw them both off balance with the resulting biotic shockwave.  
  
Shepard regained her footing quickly and raised her shotgun. The solid slugs it fired failed to break through Saren's biotic field. With his attention directed to Shepard, Robert attempted a direct attack with his lightsaber, aiming to remove Saren's arm. He found, quickly, that his green blade could not break the dark matter gathered around Saren. Saren threw an arm out at him and hit Robert with a biotic shot. The blow hit him hard, hard enough that he felt the impact through his armor. He went flying back toward the end of the roof. Instinct took over. He dropped the lightsaber and let it roll away so he could grip the edge with both hands. It strained his shoulders, but it kept him from flying off completely.  
  
Saren grabbed Shepard by the neck and lifted her above his head. She struggled to breathe while reaching for his arm to try and break loose, even as his grip tightened. Robert sensed desperation and instinctive panic build up in Shepard as she tried to break free.  
  
Robert pulled himself back up onto the roof and, motivated by his fear for Shepard, threw out a bolt of force.  
  
It was a mistake. He threw the power out so swiftly that he failed to control it. Instead of a directed blow that would have hit just Saren, a wave of wild kinetic force struck both Shepard and Saren. They went flying through the air…  
  
...and toward the other edge of the roof.  
  
Robert immediately recognized his error. Cursing himself for not thinking his action through, he was already in motion when Shepard and Saren went over the side. Energy from his being filled his body and moved him beyond normal Human speed. He reached the other end of the roof in time to see Shepard spinning down toward the rocks and water below. His arms shot out and his power with it, gripping Shepard in mid-air. She looked back up at him, bewilderment and fear giving way to realization and profound irritation, while Robert pulled her back toward him. "What the _hell_ was that?!" Shepard demanded as soon as her feet reached the ground.  
  
"I'm sorry," was all Robert managed.  
  
"You nearly _killed_ me, dammit. If you can't control these powers you shouldn't…" Shepard stopped herself. "Where is Saren?"  
  
They looked about. Saren was gone. "I don't suppose it was that easy?" she asked.  
  
Robert shook his head. He felt out with his senses. He didn't feel Saren nearby, but he was certain he didn't feel death either. Not a fresh one. "He's gone." With a moment of insight Robert checked his omnitool. "A transport signature. It looks like he's beamed away."  
  
"Damn." Shepard shook her head. She triggered her comms. "Shepard to _Normandy_. Saren's gone. We need extraction."  
  
  
  
  
Shepard's request for extraction filled the cockpit area of the _Normandy_ , where Joker was busy keeping the _Normandy_ moving in sub-orbit. The flashes of Geth weapon fire filled space around them. Above them, in orbit, several Geth cruisers and lighter ships were firing down at them. "I'm a bit busy, Commander," Joker replied.  
  
Beside him, Kaidan was working on his station. "This thing's not built to shoot at anything not ahead of it, Joker. I can't get a torpedo lock unless you give me an attack run."  
  
"Any attack run and whoever we shoot at, their buddies pick us off," Joker retorted.  
  
Far behind him, at the command station, Pressly overheard their argument over the ship's internal comms and asked, "What about our barriers? Can they hold long enough for us to make a pick up?"  
  
From engineering, Engineer Adams replied, " _I'm not sure. We took a few hits during the evac. I might be able to keep enough power going to them for five, maybe ten seconds of intense fire_."  
  
"Joker, bring us in," said Pressly. "We're not leaving anyone behind."  
  
  
  
  
Robert picked his lightsaber up while Shepard helped the wounded Salarian over to his location. Joker's voice came over the line. " _This has to be quick, Commander. The Geth have a visual and hard lock on us, if we stop for more than ten seconds our barriers won't hold off their fire_."  
  
"Understood." Shepard brought the Salarian toward the same edge of the roof where _Normandy_ had previously hovered. "Give me a mark."  
  
" _Sixty seconds, starting now_."  
  
"I just hope we have it," Robert muttered.  
  
Shepard almost asked why, but stopped when the first Geth platform slammed into the roof, a heavy model. "Damn." She raised her shotgun. The solid slug met a particle barrier, degrading it but not breaking it. She fired again and again.  
  
The Geth was already returning fire, but Robert intercepted the shots with his weapon. Whatever his relative lack of skill with the weapon compared to Meridina or Lucy, the energy within him took over his arms and used the weapon's defensive capability with the same speed and efficiency as they would, sending plasma fire back at the Geth and, now, the other Geth landing behind it.  
  
Shepard's shotgun was steaming hot as a sixth shot rang out. This one smashed the chest of the big Geth, causing it to collapse. "Overheated," Shepard said, explaining the lack of repeating fire. Instead she gathered her failing energy and threw, one-handed, a bolt toward another of the attacking Geth. The bolt struck the Geth and projected a field that sent it, and a second, floating upward into the air.  
  
" _Thirty seconds_ ," Joker told them.  
  
With the incoming fire increasing Robert blanked out any thought of counting the seconds. He let the life energy within him guide his arms and the blade in his hands, sending the bolts of plasma fire from the Geth right back into their midst. After several seconds Shepard's shotgun started thundering again. Another Geth went down with a crushed chest. Three more shots and a second had its head explode. The relaxing of fire helped Robert keep up with the rest, protecting himself, Shepard, and the Salarian she was still holding up with her left shoulder.  
  
" _Fifteen seconds_."  
  
In the air there was a distant engine roar. Robert dared not glance to see if it was _Normandy_ flying in. He was too busy deflecting shots. As more Geth arrived the fire was becoming too much for him to deflect. He managed to deflect one shot into the flashlight head of a Geth platform, but another bolt struck him along the right side. Pain flared in his hip. Nothing serious, as his armor had absorbed most of the shot, but the next hit was more successful, striking his upper left arm almost directly. Pain filled the limb and without his focus, he would have been left with one hand on his lightsaber, a critical loss of control given the circumstance.  
  
" _Ten… nine… eight_ …"  
  
As Joker counted down, the _Normandy_ appeared overhead, flying toward Robert and Shepard from the direction they were facing. It began to turn overhead, spinning on a dime under the control of a pilot Robert was increasingly convinced was a contender for the title "Best in the Multiverse". Behind them the cargo bay door slid open.  
  
Immediately gunfire covered the air above and around the, courtesy of the rest of the team and Kirrahe's remaining forces. "Come on, Commander!" shouted Ashley. Ahead of Robert and Shepard, another big Geth lost its head to a sniper shot from Garrus.  
  
" _Geth locking on! We've got ten seconds!_ " Joker reported.  
  
The bay door was barely touching the roof, but it did enough for Shepard to back her way into it, shotgun thundering. Tali helped her with the Salarian. "Robert!" she shouted.  
  
Robert continued backing himself up toward the bay door. The fire coming toward them was so heavy he knew he couldn't stop blocking, as tired as he felt. " _Five seconds!_ " Joker shouted through the comm line.  
  
_No choice… now!_  
  
Robert turned and jumped, instinctively calling on his life force to do so as he did. It propelled him into the cargo bay and up beside the secured Mako. "He's in!" Robert heard Shepard cry out. " _Punch it Joker!_ "  
  
The _Normandy_ shot forward even before the cargo bay door started to close. Shepard dashed for the elevator at the back of the cargo bay. Robert watched her go and slumped himself against the Mako. He felt dead tired and his wounds hurt.  
  
"Captain Dale, allow me." Kirrahe motioned to one of his men, currently helping to treat the wounded Salarian they pulled aboard. "You went back for Specialist Lajan. Thank you."  
  
"You're welcome, Captain Kirrahe," Robert answered, allowing the Salarian medic Kirrahe summoned to give first aid to his wounds. He felt a bitter feeling in his stomach. For all they'd learned, all they'd fought, and all of the Salarians killed in the fight… they'd failed. Saren's base was intact.  
  
Even worse, he felt a cold sense in the Flow of Life, and his stomach twisted. "Damn," he muttered.  
  
"What?' asked Garrus.  
  
"Sovereign," Robert replied. "He's here."  
  
  
  
  
As the _Normandy_ rose into orbit, Geth weapons fire surrounding it, Shepard rushed into the cockpit area. Her eyes widened in recognition, and some fear, as Sovereign loomed ahead among the Geth. "Damn."  
  
"I'm trying to break us from orbit. If we try to go FTL here…"  
  
The _Normandy_ nearly came out from under Shepard's feet at the extreme maneuver Joker pushed the ship into in order to avoid the beam of ruby light that came from one of Sovereign's tentacles. "Some kind of particle weapon," Kaidan said. "But sensors can't make sense of it."  
  
The ship shuddered around them as more weapons fire converged on them. "I'm trying to keep them off, but there's so many!" Despite his protest Joker kept his attention on his controls.  
  
"Pick a Geth and make an attack run," Shepard ordered.  
  
"Aye ma'am." Joker did so. A lighter Geth ship filled the screen.  
  
"Disruptor torpedoes locking on," Kaidan added. "I'm about to…" Something appeared on Kaidan's screen. "Wait, I'm getting a…"  
  
Ahead of them, bolts of amber energy crashed into the Geth ship. As flame and debris erupted from along the tail of the ship, twin sparks of blue-white light struck home and the entire Geth vessel disintegrated in a massive burst of light.  
  
"New ship on sensors," Kaidan said. "It's the _Koenig_."  
  
"Patch me through," Shepard said. An intent look crossed her face. They weren't done yet.  
  
  
  
  
On the bridge of the _Koenig_ , Will Atreiad watched the Geth ship blow apart. Almost immediately the _Koenig_ twisted and turned. A thick beam of ruby light speared the space they would have otherwise occupied.  
  
"Whatever that ship is, it's… I've seen nothing like it," Magda insisted from Ops. "It's power signature is through the roof! And the weapons fire… it's some kind of magnetohydrodynamic weapon."  
  
"Maintain evasive maneuvers," Will said. He tapped a button on his chair. " _Koenig_ to _Normandy_. We'll buy you time to make a jump to FTL."  
  
" _This is_ Normandy," replied Shepard. _"Before we go, Saren's base is still intact. One of your solar torpedoes should do the job._ "  
  
"Right." As Apley kept the _Koenig_ maneuvering around the Geth fire, Will turned his attention to April at Tactical. "April, a torpedo spread on that site."  
  
"Target identified. If we don't want our torpedoes intercepted…"  
  
"I'm on it," Apley pledged.  
  
The _Koenig_ twisted and turned away from the Geth ships and toward Virmire. The beautiful planet looked like a lush garden world, certainly not the world they should be firing torpedoes at. But Will knew enough from the reports that necessity trumped beauty in this mission. "Fire when ready!" he ordered.  
  
The ship shuddered as a shot from one of the Geth cruisers hit hard enough to degrade their deflectors. But it didn't stop April from getting the shot off. On the holo-viewer Will watched the two torpedoes descend like bolts of wrath from one of the Lords of Kobol. They hit Saren's base dead-center. It disappeared under the resulting white light that scoured the entire area.  
  
"Direct hit. No energy signatures, no life signs," Magda reported. "Reading complete destruction of the facility and much of the surrounding area."  
  
"We've done our job. Apley, get us out of here!"  
  
The _Koenig_ twisted away and toward the hard-maneuvering _Normandy_. The Geth pursued, as did Sovereign. The old machine's fury lashed out at the two light ships, one ruby beam after another, but Joker and Apley kept their vessels maneuvering too tightly, too quickly, for the Reaper to get a hit in the seconds he had left. With nothing ahead of them, both vessels zipped away at superluminal velocity. With their respective stealth systems, there would be no pursuit.  
  
Apley breathed a sigh of relief when Magda confirmed no pursuit. "That thing looks more like a monster than a starship," he said. "Did you see it?"  
  
"Saw it, scanned it," Magda confirmed.  
  
"Commander Shepard, please tell me you found out more about that monstrosity," Will said into the comm link with _Normandy_.  
  
" _You could say that_ ," she replied. " _And believe me, it's not good news._ "  
  
"I'm not surprised. Lords preserve us." Will let out a sigh and laid back into his command chair, relaxing slightly. "Stand us down from Code Red. And get a signal to the _Aurora_. Mission accomplished."  
  
  
  
The Marines entered the chamber a few minutes after Benezia fell. Anders walked up to join them. "How many did we lose?" asked Lucy.  
  
"Two dead. Somers and Jhrik," Anders replied tightly. "One of those biotics, she just…" He stopped. "Even the heavy armor didn't stop her."  
  
Lucy nodded grimly. "I know."  
  
Anders looked over the railing and down to where Liara was still weeping over her mother's body. "I'm guessing she did the deed?"  
  
"She did. Her mother let her, I think." Lucy shook her head. "Benezia was fighting the indoctrination, or whatever it is. I'm sure of that."  
  
"We'll get the remains secured." Anders motioned to a couple of his Marines. "And get her back up here."  
  
Lucy sighed. "I was hoping we could capture her. Maybe find out how Saren influences people."  
  
"And what this was all for," Talara added. "Why would Benezia have come? Simply due to the Rachni outbreak? Was getting more soldiers so important?"  
  
Lucy shook her head. She sensed it wasn't and was satisfied, as a teacher, that Talara sensed the same. "No. No, this was about more…"  
  
She sensed a tug at her senses. A mental poke of sorts, not enough to break into her mind, but enough to get her attention. Lucy's head turned until she faced the clear cylinder suspended by the central raised platform. The Rachni Queen inside was facing her directly. Lucy approached it. She raised a hand and put it on the cylinder. Inside the Queen did the same, using one of its long tentacle appendages to press the cylinder on the same spot Lucy did.  
  
"Lieutenant, what are you doing?" Anders asked.  
  
A moment passed before Lucy felt the alien presence in her mind. It came as a mournful song, singing of loneliness and loss and pain. Through it she sensed memories from long ago. A harmony of singing between minds. Cities on a world otherwise hostile to life, teeming with the singing minds, all directed by the mothers underground.  
  
Then shadows came. A sour discord came to the song. Peaceful singing died, replaced by rage and chaos. Other life forms came, without songs, and the singers attacked in madness. Cities fell. Planets burned. Blood flowed.  
  
Then more aliens came. Lucy recognized them immediately for their humped backs and large bodies. _Krogan_ , she thought. The blood and death continued, but the singers died with their new foes, who kept coming. Planet by planet, the singers died.  
  
At this point the memories grew faint. Only distant whispers… and silence.  
  
Lucy felt a revulsion for this outcome that was not hers. A desire to sing in peace. For the children to come. A resignation that silence was more likely to come.  
  
_You think I'm going to kill you_ , thought Lucy.  
  
Surprise. _You sing?  
  
No. Not like you.  
  
I hear your song. So bright. So pure. I hear you sing mercy. I will understand if you bring silence instead._  
  
Immediately Lucy knew what she meant. Her eyes went over to the controls and up to the tubes that would, with a button press, fill the cylinder with powerful acid. She gasped involuntarily at the thought of that kind of death.  
  
Anders was looking over them too. He faced the Queen. "So this is the Queen Tartakovsky talked about? What did Benezia want with it?"  
  
"That's what I'm trying to find out," Lucy replied hoarsely, trying to focus on the mental connection. "I'm speaking telepathically with the Queen."  
  
_So many died_ , the Queen sang. _We did not want this. We never… the shadows in the song. We know not where they came from. I know not. Our song was corrupted.  
  
I know_, Lucy thought. _I sense that.  
  
You what?_  
  
For a moment Lucy thought nothing. She felt. She felt within for the life-fueled force that made what she did possible. She felt for the Flow of Life and the gold warmth within, imagining how strong it could be among the greater concentrations of the living.  
  
_Such a song! I hear it. You sing of Life, of a golden warmth. It makes me ache with hope._  
  
Lucy nodded. _It would. It is the Flow of Life. It permits me to speak to you, to 'sing', as if I were a telepath. I am sworn to keep it strong._ She took in a breath. _You mean no ill will toward the species of this galaxy?  
  
I wish only to sing in peace with my children._  
  
Immediately Lucy felt the sincerity in the Queen. She was not being deceitful. Again, all she wanted was the peaceful singing in her deep memory.  
  
Behind her, Anders was still watching intently. Talara undoubtedly sensed some of the conversation, but only some. The mental element of her abilities was still being honed.  
  
_What did Benezia want from you?  
  
The one called Benezia sang with madness. I felt a shadow in her song, much as my mother felt. She demanded I sing of stars. Of a great gateway…_ The image of a Mass Relay flashed in Lucy's mind. _It was lost long ago._ The image of an exploding star, a supernova, came to Lucy.  
  
_A Mass Relay flung into deep space by a supernova. Your people know where it is?_ The moment Lucy thought that, stars came into her mind. They moved around and through her into a void, a deep void where a Mass Relay continued a lone, solitary voyage through the lightless void of interstellar space.  
  
_Her shadow sang of a 'Conduit'. I know not of this._  
  
Lucy nodded once more. It all made sense now. The Conduit, spoken of in the record Tali found. The key to awakening the Reapers. _Thank you_ , Lucy thought.  
  
_Will I know silence?  
  
No_. Lucy shook her head. _I am a Knight of Life. I will not destroy you. Go and sing again, Queen, have children and sing of Light and Hope._ With that Lucy's finger found a different control.  
  
The cylinder containing the Queen lifted from its place. A mechanical arm pulled it up to a port. An internal airlock slid open, a route to freedom.  
  
"Lieutenant, what are you doing?" Anders asked. It was just short of a demand.  
  
_Thank you_ , sang the Queen. _My children will sing of your forgiveness. We will sing of your Light, Lucy Lucero_.  
  
The Rachni Queen went through the port and on to freedom.  
  
Lucy watched her go. What she'd just done was sure to anger powerful people. Two thousand years had not diminished the memories of the galaxy when it came to the Rachni. In a moment of doubt she wondered if the Citadel Council might push charges of some kind, or if this would undermine the relationship between the Alliance and the Citadel.  
  
Behind her Major Anders asked, "Lieutenant, why did you do that?"  
  
"Do what?" Lucy asked. "Release her from imprisonment?"  
  
"The Rachni once threatened this galaxy so badly they had to be hunted to extinction," Anders said. "Do you understand the ramifications of just letting that Queen go?"  
  
"Yeah." Lucy nodded. "She doesn't want violence, Lieutenant. She wants peace. Any new Rachni she births will be taught to be peaceful toward other species." Sensing Anders' irritation with her, Lucy frowned. "Are you really saying I should have committed _genocide_?"  
  
"No, I'm not," Anders said. "I'd never open that acid tank. But we could have brought the Queen with us to the _Aurora_ and let our superiors handle the situation this is going to create with the Citadel. And that decision should have been mine. I'm in charge of this operation and that means _I'm_ the responsible officer. I'm the one who's going to be held responsible for this, for everything that's happened."  
  
Lucy let out a hoarse breath. "Major, I'm… I was trying to do the right thing."  
  
"And you didn't trust me to?" he asked pointedly.  
  
"I didn't say that. I just… acted. On my own."  
  
"And that's not your place, Lieutenant. That's not your responsibility."  
  
Given all of the fighting, not to mention the persistent pain in her hand, Lucy didn't feel like arguing the point. She could understand Anders' viewpoint. He _was_ the officer in charge, and he'd be the one facing repercussions if Command took issue with what happened here. Her acting on her own wasn't enough of a defense from that. It made it clear he couldn't control her.  
  
Anders sighed and turned away, clearly spent as well and not interested in continuing the argument. After taking several steps he looked over his shoulder. "I know your heart is in the right place, Lieutenant. But the chain of command exists for a reason, and if you can't follow it, you've got no place on my strike teams. I don't care how powerful or skilled you are." With that parting comment he walked away.  
  
She was pulled from her thoughts by Talara's hand resting on her shoulder. "I think you did the right thing, Lucy," said her student. "I can feel it."  
  
"Yeah," agreed Lucy. Briefly a smile came to her face at the thought of what she felt. At the Rachni given a new lease on life, a chance to join the Multiverse in all of its glorious diversity of life and thought. Inside she knew that, politics aside, she'd done the right thing.


	6. Chapter 6

**Tag**  
  
  
Port Hanshan's hospital was every bit as advanced as Parasini and Black promised it was. The doctors on staff - an Asari and a Human - patched Julia and her people up without a word of fuss. Meridina's head trauma was confirmed as a concussion and treated. She now sat on a biobed across from Julia. "It must be what I was sensing," she said upon the others explaining what happened. "There was a sudden darkness in the Flow of Life. A void I have never experienced before. This creature must have been the cause."  
  
"We're lucky to be alive," said Angel. "I have to say I'm not happy we only survive these things because someone saves our asses."  
  
"Had I not let my guard down, I might have been able to protect you. You have my apologies."  
  
"None necessary, Meridina," Julia insisted.  
  
"Indeed." Richmond shook her head. She was on the bed beside Meridina, across from Angel. Unlike the others she was still laying down due to the severity of her injuries and the process needed to heal them. "What I am more concerned with is this situation. You gave Qui'in his evidence?"  
  
"He was happy to receive it," Julia said. Happier than she was to have carried it to him instead of getting the medical treatment she'd needed, but Julia didn't add that. "But I don't know what else is going on. I've heard nothing from the…"  
  
Her omnitool activated at that moment. A bright blue light appeared over the back of her hand. " _Anders to Andreys. Do we have clearance to complete our mission or not?_ "  
  
Julia breathed a small sigh of relief. Anders' wording indicated that the strike into Peak 15 had succeeded in some fashion. Now Anders was asking permission to launch the _Gonzalez_ and return to the _Aurora_. But until she knew for certain the defenses wouldn't open fire if they picked up the ship, Julia didn't dare give clearance. Instead she replied, "Standby on that, Major. Matters are still being determined here."  
  
" _Acknowledged. I’m going to have Dr. Gillam double check inoculations._ "  
  
At that Julia winced. They'd taken casualties. She hoped not losses. "What's the status on Doctor T'Soni?" The last thing she needed was a dead civilian specialist.  
  
" _She'll live._ "  
  
"Fine. I'll inform you when we get the all-clear. Andreys out."  
  
"Good news, then," Richmond said, well aware of the true meaning. "Now all we have to do is find out what game we've been drawn into."  
  
They didn't have to wait much longer. Confirmation of at least one of Julia's worries came with a new patient. The four watched in stunned bemusement as a wounded Anoleis was dragged in by Captain Matsuo and Gianna Parasini. Matsuo brought him to a private room while Parasini walked over to join them. "How are you?"  
  
"Better," Julia replied. "Anoleis is under arrest?"  
  
"I just made the collar. He tried to resist. But Captain Matsuo was quick to stop that." Parasini grinned with satisfaction. "The Captain was offended to hear that Anoleis was using her guards as private thugs."  
  
"So what now? What about our investigation?"  
  
"The Board's given me temporary authority here in Port Hanshan," Parasini explained. "I signed the approval as I left the office. With a slight backdating."  
  
_She knows_. Julia smiled diplomatically. "Thank you. I'll make a note of your cooperation in my own report."  
  
"Glad to hear it."  
  
"So, what about Mister Black?" asked Angel. She crossed her arms. "What's his part in this?"  
  
"Would you like to find out?" Parasini asked Julia.  
  
With just a moment to consider, Julia nodded. "Yes."  
  
"I'll ask." Parasini sent off a text message with her omnitool. Moments later a response came up. "This way, please. If you're cleared to leave the ward, that is."  
  
Richmond and Meridina were not, so it was Julia and Angel who followed Parasini out. After walking through several corridors and taking a lift ride, they found themselves on a level dominated by conference rooms. "This is for meetings between our various clients," Parasini explained as she brought them to the largest room at the end of the central hall. She remained standing outside of the door as they stepped in.  
  
Inside was the kind of opulence Julia would expect of the wealthy. The fine table of brass-colored wood was in-set with hard-light control projectors and a holotank in the middle. Beautiful paintings and sculptures lined every wall save the one to her right, beyond the head of the table, where a large holo-projector could create a 2D or 3D holo-image.  
  
Black was seated quietly at the far side of the table from the entrance. He looked at them through his Ray-Bans. "Ah, Captain. Lieutenant. You are recovered?" He looked none the worse for wear. As if he hadn't just been in a fight with a vicious being he'd stabbed through the heart.  
  
"We are."  
  
"And Commanders Richmond and Meridina?"  
  
"Recovering still. As soon as the doctors approve, we'll fly them back to the _Aurora_ ," Julia said. "But I have questions."  
  
"Of course you do. Thankfully, I was just alerting my employer as to our success. He should be returning my call any moment… ah. Here." Black pressed a blinking key before him and turned toward the wall holo-viewer.  
  
Julia and Angel did the same. Recognition showed across her face at the sight of Black's employer.  
  
" _Ah, Captain Andreys. So good to see you again_ ," said Sidney Hank, President and Founder of Pan-Empyrean Holdings. The Solarian tycoon had one hand holding a tumbler of what Julia guessed was the same Parthegon brandy he'd once plied her, Robert, and the others with in their visit to Solaris the prior year. His sky blue eyes glinted with amusement. There was no denying he had a handsome face, one that seemed crafted to be photogenic and memorable. Dark hair cut in a business style topped his head. He looked like the epitome of economic power… which, Julia knew for a fact, he was. " _Mister Black, I assume the Captain played a role in your dealings on Noveria?_ "  
  
"A critical one, sir," Black replied. "She helped recover the evidence that allowed Miss Parasini to arrest Anoleis."  
  
" _Ah. Thank you kindly, Captain. Administrator Anoleis was something of a pain._ "  
  
"Wait." Angel shook her head. "What's all of this about?"  
  
Julia thought back to what she'd heard while on Noveria. Specifically, a complaint from Anoleis she'd overheard when they entered the Salarian's office. The facts came together. "You… you're buying Noveria, aren't you Mister Hank?"  
  
" _Just about_ ," he replied. " _More accurately, Pan-Empyrean Holdings just bought a majority share in the Noveria Development Corporation._ "  
  
"And Anoleis was stopping you?"  
  
" _He was making the sale… difficult. He was trying to shake me down and abusing his power to punish companies that voted in my favor when I didn't pay the bribe._ " Hank shook his head and twirled his tumbler full of expensive brandy. " _I can appreciate a little bit of corruption. It greases the wheels and gears in many economic machines. But he was greedy and he was sloppy, so I take great pleasure in destroying him. Thank you again for your role in this affair. This outcome was everything I could hope for._ "  
  
"You couldn't have known I was coming," Julia said.  
  
" _I expected Commander Shepard, true. But I've been aware of Binary Helix's connections to Saren Arterius for months. Someone was bound to show up, and Anoleis was bound to interfere._ "  
  
"And that monster thing that attacked us? Did you anticipate _that_?" Angel asked directly.  
  
Hank frowned and glanced toward Black. "A Pretender, sir. An old one," Black replied. "I put it down."  
  
The frown deepened. " _Tracking them or you?_ "  
  
"Me. My apologies, sir. I must have gotten sloppy." Black showed genuine remorse and shame at that.  
  
" _See that it doesn't happen again_ ," Hank said coldly.  
  
"Just what the hell _is_ a Pretender?" Angel demanded. "It's what Jarod's called himself before, but this…"  
  
" _Mister Jarod is a far more benign kind of being than they are. Pretenders are… well, I'm afraid I haven't the time to spell it out too greatly, Lieutenant Delgado, but in brief: they're old, they're powerful, they're scary as hell, and they want to kill you._ Especially _you._ "  
  
"Because of Swenya's prophecy?" asked Julia.  
  
" _Got it in one, Captain. Go ahead and file that report with Admiral Maran, and you can tell him I said it. Some things have to be spoken of._ " Hank rested his glass down. " _Why Swenya wrote that blasted prophecy down I'll never know… she was always so stubborn._ "  
  
Julia caught that and blinked. "You're trying to tell me you knew Swenya three thousand years ago, during the last interuniversal era? That you've been around that long?"  
  
To that Hank grinned. " _In a manner of speaking, Captain. In a manner of speaking. But that's a matter for another time. I suspect you have your own business to tend to on Noveria, so please, don't let me keep you from it. Saren Arterius is a threat to the Multiverse and needs to be taken down. As the majority shareholder of Noveria Development Corporation, you have my full approval to investigate Peak 15._ Retroactive _approval_. _Now, if you'll excuse me, Mister Black and I have private corporate matters to discuss._ "  
  
"Of course," Julia said. She rose from her chair. Angel did the same. She frowned as she followed Julia out of the room. Parasini was waiting. "We're in the clear, then."  
  
"You are." Parasini smiled at her. "I'll escort you back to the hospital now. Make any calls you feel necessary."  
  
Julia tapped her omnitool's comm key. "Andreys to Anders."  
  
" _Anders here_."  
  
"You are clear to complete your mission."  
  
" _Understood. Anders out._ "  
  
As they approached the lift, another call came to Julia. She tapped the blue light and answered, "Andreys here."  
  
" _Captain, we just received a signal from the_ Koenig," Jarod replied. " _Virmire was a success. The_ Koenig _and_ Normandy _are en route. And they've got a lot to share with us._ "  
  
"We'll meet them at the Relay then," Julia replied. "Prepare to break orbit once the _Irrawaddy_ returns. And have Leo prepare spaces in medbay, Commanders Meridina and Richmond will need some follow-up care."  
  
" _I see_ ," Jarod replied. " _Consider it done._ "  
  
Once the call was over, they stepped into the lift. Parasini activated it with her security clearance. "Do you need anything else, Captain?"  
  
"Nothing here," Julia replied. "It's been a pleasure working with you, Miss Parasini, but I just want to get back to my ship now."  
  
"Of course," she said cheerfully. "I'll make the arrangements to have your wounded officers transferred to your runabout immediately."  
  
"Thank you." With that, Julia sighed. She'd have a lengthy and very delicate report to write when she got back, and all she really wanted was a hot shower and some me-time in her quarters with a warm cup of tea.  
  
_But at least we're done with this damn planet_ , she mused to herself.  
  
  
  
  
That evening Cat walked into the Lookout with her sister in tow. "A good meal will make you feel better," she insisted.  
  
"Alright, but not a big one. I'm…"  
  
Before Angel could finish her protest, the two spotted Liara sitting at a table in the far corner. Hargert was standing nearby. He noticed them and quietly gestured to Liara. As they drew nearer they could see the tears rolling down her face. Her blue eyes seemed distant and unfocused.  
  
There was a part of Cat that didn't want to be near her. Not after her near death at the hands of Morinth. But she fought that down. The entire ship knew something of what happened on Noveria. She in particular knew that Matriarch Benezia was dead, and that Liara was the one who killed her. Fully aware of the raw pain Liara had to be in, Cat walked up to her, Angela beside her. "Doctor," she said softly. "I… I'm sorry. I know what you're going through…"  
  
Tear-filled blue eyes briefly looked toward Cat. But nothing was said.  
  
Indeed, Cat realized nothing _could_ be said. And maybe she couldn't speak of Liara's pain as much as she thought. She hadn't been forced to kill her mother.  
  
_No. Not directly. We just made her work herself to death to take care of us_ was the thought in Cat's mind. Normally she tried to ignore that guilt. But right now she grabbed it, held it, and while doing so set a hand on Liara's. Again their eyes met, and then Liara's and Angela's. The sisters said nothing this time, however.  
  
They received no verbal reply either. Just a small nod of appreciation.  
  
Ahead of them, through the viewing transtanium windows of the Lookout, the Mass Relay loomed large. They watched, in quiet mourning, as the _Aurora_ pulled up to the Relay. Blue light crackled and the _Aurora_ surged forward. When the effect ended, the distant forms of the _Normandy_ and _Koenig_ appeared.  
  
Liara sighed and stood. "I need to get ready," she said. "The meeting will be soon."  
  
"Yeah," Angel agreed. "It will."  
  
  
  
  
The _Normandy_ team beamed aboard over the course of several minutes. Wrex went first with Shepard's permission. Once aboard the _Aurora_ he made an inquiry with the ship's computer.  
  
Said inquiry led him to the ship's science labs. At least one of them - he was somewhat familiar with the fact there were multiple labs. Inside were a couple of officers in uniforms with dark blue trim, science officers overseeing experimental data and simulations.  
  
One of those present stood out due to being in operations beige. She was also the first to notice Wrex enter the science lab. Tra'dur approached him quietly. "Mister Urdnot, Wrex, I see you are well. What can I do for you?"  
  
Wrex considered the Dilgar woman for a moment and then glanced around. The other present officers were more interested in whatever they were doing. Tra'dur noticed his caution and she narrowed her eyes. "I need a little help," he said. "Something I can't have done back on Tuchanka, and that I can't trust anyone else to do."  
  
"Oh?" Tra'dur's curiosity was piqued. "What does it involve?"  
  
"It's a science project, you might say. You wouldn't happen to know any Dilgar who can handle genetic testing, would you?"  
  
At that, Tra'dur grinned. "As a matter of fact, my younger sister Nah'dur is not just a Surgeon-Commander, she is a skilled geneticist and well-versed in many biological matters. I can introduce you, if that's what you'd like."  
  
Wrex smiled. "Well then, that's good to hear. I need to send something to her…"  
  
  
  
  
Shepard entered the Conference Room with Kaidan and Pressly. Not everyone was present yet and currently many of the various crew from their ships were off in groups, carrying on conversation.  
  
All except Lucy, whom Shepard found seated already and by herself. She seemed thoughtful and, Shepard though, a little angry. Leaving Kaidan and Pressly to do as they wanted for the moment, Shepard went over and slipped into a seat. Her blue service uniform was a contrast to the black with beige trim worn by Lucy. "You look angry at the world," Shepard observed. "Everything alright?"  
  
Lucy smiled and sighed. "Yeah. Just a… misunderstanding, I guess. Or maybe I'm just a pig-headed, stubborn girl who forgets how this whole 'military' thing works."  
  
"Oh?"  
  
"Anders and I haven't been seeing eye to eye," Lucy admitted. "He says I do too many things on my own without consulting him. That I don't obey orders like I should."  
  
"Huh." Shepard considered that. "Does this have something to do with the Rachni Queen?"  
  
"Among other things. He was there. And maybe I should have brought it up with him first, but..." Lucy sighed. "Biotics is one thing, but what I've got, this Flow of Life stuff… a lot of it is based on certainty and instinct. You can't just try to do a thing, or you can fail. You must be certain that yes, you will do it."  
  
Shepard nodded. "Well, I can see things from Anders' perspective. He's the responsible officer for the op. Having one of his people make a decision without consulting him while he's standing right there… yeah, I think it'd irritate me too. If you ask me, you need to talk to him about it. One on one. Lay out how this works and see if he's comfortable with it. If he isn't… well, that's something you and Captain Andreys will have to deal with."  
  
"I understand."  
  
"Glad to hear it," Shepard said. She clapped a hand on Lucy's shoulder. "Between you and me, I think you did the same thing I would on Noveria. Letting the diplomats and the Citadel decide the Queen's fate would have been a nightmare. I wouldn't be surprised if Sparatus insisted we euthanize her."  
  
"That would be genocide," Lucy said, frowning.  
  
"Yeah. But the Rachni scared the crap out of the species of our galaxy, and people do stupid things when they're afraid." Shepard thought of what they'd learned on Virmire, and how much that statement applied to Saren. "I'm glad you made the call you did. It makes me proud to consider you a comrade."  
  
Lucy smiled quietly at that. "Thank you, Shepard."  
  
The door swished open again and Julia stepped in, followed by Richmond, Meridina, and Leo. She looked around and nodded. "So everyone's here. Let's get started." She walked over to her seat.  
  
"What happened on Noveria?" Shepard asked. "Your preliminary report only mentioned Benezia was dead."  
  
"Yes." Julia glanced briefly to Liara with sympathy. "Major?"  
  
Anders nodded. "We've learned Benezia came to extract the location of a missing Mass Relay, the Mu Relay, from a Rachni Queen. Apparently the Relay leads to the Citadel."  
  
"A _what_?" Wrex looked incredulous. "They're extinct."  
  
"Apparently not," said Julia.  
  
"Binary Helix found a Rachni ship with an intact egg in cryogenic suspension," Anders explained. "They hatched it and found it was a Queen."  
  
"The Mu Relay is in what used to be Rachni space," Garrus observed. "And they were supposed to have genetic memory. It makes sense that a Queen would know."  
  
"Did she get it? Did she send it to Saren?" Shepard asked.  
  
"Apparently so, given the communication logs from Peak 15." This information was from Liara. "But we found an OSD on her… remains." At that, Jarod slid said object into a data reader. The central holotank in the room lit up with a galactic starmap. It zoomed in on one area of space. "So we know where it is as well."  
  
"That's a primary Relay," Locarno said. "It must link to dozens of systems."  
  
"And it's in the Terminus Systems, so getting there will be difficult," Robert added. "At least, getting there with enough ships to confront Sovereign."  
  
"Sovereign? You mean Saren's ship?"  
  
"No." Shepard shook her head. "That's what we learned on Virmire. Sovereign's not just a ship. It's a Reaper."  
  
Surprised showed on the faces of the others. "You're fraking kidding me," Barnes said.  
  
"Not all, Tom," Robert sighed. "We spoke to it. I've felt it. It's… dark. Malevolent."  
  
"The Reapers destroyed the Protheans, and the Adranians before them, as part of what they call the Cycles," Shepard explained. "Sovereign wouldn't say why. It insists we wouldn't understand. The damn thing has a massive superiority complex."  
  
"And the firepower to back it up." Magda activated her omnitool. Her fingers moved over the blue light until another display replaced the starchart in the central holotank, showing a beam of ruby energy being fired from the tentacle of the cephalopod-shaped monster ship. "Its weapons are based on an advanced magnetohydrodynamic system. It accelerates metal to cee-fractional speed. That's why it looks like an energy weapon."  
  
Scotty shook his head. "Deflectors willnae hold off that kind o' weapon for long," he observed. "Dependin' on the material used an' th' mass, even our deflectors cannae take much."  
  
"Can you think of a way to adapt our shields?" Julia asked.  
  
"A few tricks, maybe, but it's a matter o' power, Captain. If it's usin' a heavier metal with a lot of mass, it'll simply overpower our shields, an' faster than th' usual weapons we deal with."  
  
"Do what you can, and we'll relay this information to Command." Julia looked from Shepard to Robert. "What else did you learn?"  
  
"Saren was experimenting with indoctrination," Robert replied. "He's scared of it. It's Sovereign's weapon, not his, and he's afraid he's becoming indoctrinated. Deep down, he _knows_ he is, but he won't let himself believe it."  
  
"Or Sovereign won't let him."  
  
"This indoctrination. Can we sense it?" Meridina asked Robert.  
  
"Some, yes," Robert said. "The experiments had a bad case, and I could feel it. It's like a… cancer on their beings, in their minds. It distorts who and what they are." Quietly he projected those memories, allowing Meridina and Lucy to know what he meant.  
  
"Swenya's Light," Meridina gasped. "Monstrous."  
  
"Yeah," Shepard agreed. "But Saren's not running the show. Sovereign is. And the Conduit is the key to bringing back _all_ of the Reapers."  
  
"If just one Reaper has that much firepower…" Julia swallowed. "We've got to stop this. We've got to find the Conduit first."  
  
"But there's dozens of systems on the other end of the Relay. It'll take weeks to examine them all," Locarno said.  
  
"Maybe, maybe not." Shepard looked at Liara. "Saren had another beacon. An intact one. I received more visions from it, complete ones, from some world."  
  
Liara nodded and stood. "Then let me see." There was a cold resolution in her voice. She approached Shepard, who stood to meet her. "Quiet your thoughts… embrace eternity."  
  
For several moments the two remained locked together where they stood. When it ended Liara slumped backward and nearly fell. "Those images are so intense," she said.  
  
"Tell me about it," Shepard sighed.  
  
Liara waved away Leo and Allen-Epstein. "I will be fine. I'm just considering what I saw. I know I've seen…" Her eyes widened. "Of course! Ilos! The images are of Ilos!"  
  
"Ilos?" asked Julia.  
  
"It's a world we've found trace records of," said Liara. "A research planet of the Protheans. But we've never found it. It must be one of the systems beyond the Mu Relay."  
  
"That must be where the Conduit is," Kaidan said with some excitement.  
  
"Then that's where we need to go."  
  
At Robert's remark, Tali replied, "But it's in the Terminus Systems. If the governments there detect you, it could start a war."  
  
"And if we don't go, and Saren and Sovereign use the Conduit, the Terminus Systems will be the least of our problems," Robert said. "And the Geth fleet will be heading there now that Saren has the coordinates."  
  
Shepard nodded in agreement. "We'll need fleet backup for certain. Especially if Sovereign is there."  
  
Julia breathed out a little sigh. She knew they were right. She also knew that the Council, and the Alliance government, were not likely to agree so easily. Before she could speak on this her omnitool spawned a blue light over the back of her left hand. " _Bridge to Andreys_ ," said Lieutenant Takawira.  
  
She tapped the light. "I'm here, Lieutenant. Report."  
  
" _We have received an urgent message from the Citadel. Ambassador Atama requires our immediate presence_."  
  
"Did he say why?"  
  
" _Only that you and Captain Dale are requested to join him for a meeting with the Citadel Council and Ambassador Udina_."  
  
"Alright. Let him know we'll be underway shortly." Julia looked to the others. "It looks like our reports have been read."  
  
Robert shook his head. "I have a bad feeling about this. Something's up."  
  
As if on cue, Shepard's omnitool flashed to life. "Normandy _to Shepard_ ," said a female voice, one of her junior officers Robert thought. " _Ma'am, priority message from the Citadel Council waiting for you._ "  
  
"What do you want to bet it's a recall order?" Shepard asked Robert.  
  
"That is a sucker's bet," Robert replied. "And I still don't like it."  
  
"Still, we'll need fleet support to reach Ilos. So let's go get it." Shepard stood up. "I'll head back to the _Normandy_ and get her underway."  
  
"The same here, Commander," Julia said, standing as well. "Everyone is dismissed."  
  
The assembled left the room.  
  
  
  
  
In the heart of a machine he had no choice but to trust, Saren looked over the star map, the last communication he received from Benezia before she went silent. "We've found it," he said.  
  
" _You and your agents have performed well on this task_ ," Sovereign answered. " _Order the Geth fleet to make preparations for the assault._ "  
  
Saren did so with his console. "I shall take a few ships to Ilos. More than enough for whatever paltry force the Council agrees to send into the Terminus Systems. By the time they realize what we're doing, it will be too late."  
  
" _Before you go, Saren, you must be made stronger_ ," Sovereign said. " _I witnessed your battle with Shepard and Dale. They are each powerful in their own way, as are their allies. If you face them again, you_ must _prevail._ "  
  
"I will," insisted Saren. "It was a fluke."  
  
" _I will not take that chance. You will be given further augmentation. Your organic weakness will be reduced by machine strength_."  
  
Fear built inside of Saren. "I do not think it is necessary, Sovereign."  
  
Sovereign's reply was blunt. " _I_ do _. You will obey, or your use to me is at an end. I will find another to serve_."  
  
The fear grew, and with it the horrible realization for Saren; he'd given Sovereign what he needed, with his contacts, his knowledge. All Sovereign needed now was for someone to go through the Conduit. If he felt Saren was no longer reliable, he'd simply find another being to do it. Maybe even the Geth by themselves. And all of his works, all that he'd done these past decades, would be for _nothing_.  
  
"I still serve," Saren replied, his voice quiet with hopeless despair.


End file.
